Hemrajani, Reena H, MD George Washington Univ Med Ctr

The central location of the GW University Hospital ER and its easy accessibility for many DC residents, makes it seem like an ideal place to go in case of a medical emergency...until about your 5th hour in the waiting room, when you realize that you probably could have traveled to Richmond, been treated, returned, had your scripts filled, and be at home in bed by this time!! I've been to the ER a handful of times in recent years and have learned that a) it is very common to wait 4 plus hours b) the more sick/hurt you are, the longer you will have to wait. On one occasion, I went in because I had accidentally chopped off part of my fingertip. After 4.5 hours of waiting while losing more blood than I thought I had in my whole body, I finally got to see a doc and be properly bandaged and medicated. Probably the worst experience was when I went in for what felt like a migraine in my entire body, and after roughly 4.5 hours, some sobbing, and many inquiries as to when I would be seen, I left without even being treated! There are some very positive points to GW urgent car - metro accessible, parking, and good doctors are some. The staff is generally nice and understaing, but something in the management is definitely off. Overall, I'd probably go back in an emergency because GW does offer high quality care, but I would definitely consider elsewhere for things like migraines that make it excruciating to sit in florescent lights, with people on speaker phone for hours and hours. more

The Hospital ER room is perhaps the most frustrating experience you will ever encounter. The waiting time has to be among the worst of private hospitals in the nation. I have never so many people in such clear agony waiting over four hours to be treated. Even more frustrating, perhaps, is the multiple steps. First, you are greeted, in pain, and have to fill out forms. Then you meet with someone who determines the seriousness of your injury. Then you wait. Wait some more. Wait some more... Finally, just when you think your time is up, and you will be treated, you get called in. As if that means you are about to be treated. No! This means you have a new place to wait, and a doctor will be with you "shortly". In this last wait, my experience was pretty frustrating. Granted, I had a burn that had to be treated, but several doctors appeared to just be chatting it up about sports or a TV show or something. Certainly not something I expect at 1:00 AM after being in the ER for four hours. The only redeeming thing was that they did take care of my injury, and I was given the necessry medication more

I delivered at GWU in May, 2004 and was thrilled with the experience! The new hospital/facility is fantastic -- all private rooms, and the birthing suites are extremely well-designed and have everything you could need! The doctors in the OB/GYN department at the GW Medical Center are all wonderful (though the office is very busy). Note that GWU is a teaching hospital, which does have its pluses and minuses. more