I truly wish there was a rating below 1 star. You risk your own life or the life of loved ones if you ever have an emergency that brings you to this Marina Hospital. I've had two recent experiences with Marina Hospital. Because of the 4000 character limit here, I will first write about my March 17, 2011 experience. Quite early in the evening I cracked my head open a bit. I rolled backwards as I sat down on an improperly setup large basket chair at my daughter's and her boyfriend's apartment, and the back of my head hit the corner of a square (maple) table leg. I hit so hard that the over 100 lb table moved around 2 inches ... on thick carpet. My head was gushing blood, so I applied direct pressure to it with a plastic freezer bag, and my daughter and boyfriend drove me to Marina Hospital. There were only 3 people in the Emergency room, and they appeared to be waiting and not in need of any kind of care. I checked in with one of two reception people (they sit behind really thick glass, and I can sorta understand why). I explained that my head was cracked open and that I'm bleeding profusely, and they tell me to have a seat. About 25 minutes later, I've not been called in to the ER, and a young woman with several male friends enter the waiting room. The young woman had a scratch below one eye. It appeared to have been bleeding (dried blood) but not bleeding as she explained to the reception people. After about 5 minutes, the young woman was called back inside to the ER. My daughter and I looked at each other. My head is throbbing and I'm holding a plastic bag tightly against my head .... changing hands because my arm is getting tired. My daughter goes to the thick glass window and asks the woman why I haven't been called in. The woman says, ""Oh ... they haven't called your father in yet?"". My daughter tells here that we've been waiting for a half hour, and she asks the reception person if we might have an ice pack. The reception person says, ""Yes"". We wait 10 minutes and no ice pack is produced. My daughter (completely out of character) shouts at the woman receptionist, telling her that we've been waiting and that she never even gave us an ice pack. I went to the reception person and asked for my drivers license and Medicare card ... and my daughter and her boyfriend drove me to the VA hospital in West Los Angeles. Within 15 minutes of seeing the folks in triage, my head was being stitched up with 8 stitches. I have no idea how much longer it would have been before I was even asked to come inside the ER at Marina Hospital, but I'm glad I didn't stick around to find out. Extremely poor care. They shouldn't have an ""emergency room"" ... the word ""emergency"" means nothing to the folks there. Please read my next post about this hospital. Thank you!
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