Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Emergency - Santa Barbara, California

Maria M.

If youre ever having a mental health crisis do not go to cottage hospital! I wish I would of kept it to myself. I went there under a voluntary hold. The first nurse who attended me who took my vitals wrote under her triage notes that I thought I was dying when I had told her that I was such emotional pain that I FELT like I was dying. There is a large difference between these two things, and not noting this difference could of greatly affected the mental health care that I received and could of potentially resulted me in getting treatment for thinking I was dying when thats not what I said. Furthermore, I asked for one of my medications which is a sleeping aid because I have insomnia. I asked for this twice from two different nurses. Both nurses said they would get it for me and I never ended up getting it which resulted in me staging up all night whoch only worsened my symptoms. I was tired and upset so I asked the nurse behind the desk if I could leave since I was under voluntary hold. She became clearly panicked and started talking to me as if I was crazy or a child which was upsetting to be dehumanized in such a way. She directed me back to my room. The mental health specialist who talked to me was extremely rude and condescending and told me that I was a complicated person. She also would not let me finish talking and would interrupt me. She lacked the empathy and compassion and especially gentleness that is necessary for individuals in a mental health crisis. It is clear to me that the staff there stigmatizes mental health and have not received the necessary amount of mental health training to be able to treat mental health patients. Furthermore, on my chart it was noted that they have me a medication but I was never given anything.

Yanfei Y.

Extremely impatient nurses/staff especially Dr. Hannah Gross. I spent 8 hours sitting in the ER running a high fever got tested for at least 6 different samples and they didn’t take the time to briefly explain why those were being taken/examined, immediately got sent back to the waiting room after they got their samples. In the last hour I got put into a medical room with a bed and had an iv inserted. I was extremely nauseous and Hannah Gross attempted to look in the back of my throat once again (no results the first two times she looked) and I broke down crying because it kept triggering my reflux and I was just stressed out/uncomfortable for 8 hours. She threw off her gloves (after I cried for not even a minute yet) rudely saying “Whatever I am done” and stormed out of the room. About 5 minutes pass by, she peaks into the room telling the nurse that she just clocked off her shift and the next doctor will take over. My understanding is that her shift was over and she just wanted to go home so she didn’t care to be patient. Overall unprofessional, I would’ve disregarded this entire experience if she didn’t have that attitude towards her patient.

Claire S.

This is the Ritz Carlton of hospitals …
We were on vacation from Texas and my husband got gall stones and needed his gallbladder removed stat. After no wait to get in to the emergency room, they were able to fit him in for surgery same day on a Saturday of a holiday weekend.
I was not allowed into the emergency room bc of COVID but it was easy to get updates by calling and through their texting system. I could visit him once he got to in inpatient. His room was straight up nicer than our hotel. Large windows with natural lighting, beautiful hardwood floors and comfortable beds. The food? OMG. Literally think Cheesecake Factory meets your local farm to table eatery. Extensive menu with very healthy clean delicious options. I was drooling over my husbands meal hoping he had some leftover for me. I could not believe this was “hospital food”.
His nurses were so attentive and friendly. He got wonderful care while he was there.
I hope you don’t need to go to the ER while on vacation like my husband but if you do, you’re definitely in good hands.

Tyler L.

I came into Cottage Hospital Emergency late night June 8th for respiratory troubles I was having. There are no urgent care alternatives in Santa Barbara and this was my only option.

The emergency was seemingly empty and they accepted me immediately. They never asked me for ID or verified any proof-of-identity, never had me sign any sort of document either.

Nurse took my vitals, O2 content was unsurprisingly low, and was taken to a room to wait for attention from doctor. I sat, I waited, I even fell asleep, FOUR HOURS waiting any medical attention. The air in the hospital was very soothing on my respiratory system and had independently cleared up my complications by the time doc showed up.

I expressed that my concerns were settled, but she listened to my chest with stethoscope and told me that I was likely sick and to take Tylenol. I never received any stabilizing treatment from the emergency room staff, nor did I sign any documents or prove my identity during the visit.

Turns out I had bronchitis, and this doctor and 5 hour visit was no help whatsoever except gouging my pocket.

They send me a bill over $2,000 the other day. Itemized bill says simply the visit constituted this. I never received any treatment and I am bewildered that they even sent me a bill, let alone one of multiple thousand dollars.

Jorge U.

Wednesday night I visited ER because and bacterial stomach infection, they did all kinda of test everything came up negative and they told me I had gastroenteritis which was causing fever, diarrhea and vomit, and they just gave 2 Tylenol for the fever and 1 Zofran-odt for the nausea and that was it, like what kinda scam is this? Like if you know what kinda virus I got then give something to fight it, but instead just gave me something for the symptoms, this is Bs, now I’m back home and soon gonna have a ER bill for like $3000 for 2 Tylenols

Irma A.

Approx. 2 mos ago I took my 91 yr old father to the E.R. he was very short of breath, I also had my 85 yr old mother with me. I was terrified, I pulled up to the door and there were two female security guards staring at me and rolled down my window and 7 requested help. They went inside and returned a moment later to say No the nurse was busy. I was shocked & said "are you serious" they immediately went on defensive and said they did not like my tone/attitude and that I had better settle down or I would not be allowed into the ER dept. My father saw that no help was coming so he got out of the car himself and proceeded in. I was told to park my car. I did, upon my return they said to move my car again to a lot further away. I was crying, I tried to explain I needed to be w/my dad, as I new his medical history, meds etc. they did not care. In the end I had to call another sibling to come and be with my father because. I was not allowed in.
Side note I worked at Cottage for 17 years 4 of them in the emergency dept. Never did I see anyone be so HEARTLESS with a family member who was clearly upset about her dad's state of health. Of course at that time security was not triaging patients for care. So disappointed in what the emergency dept has become...........Would have given zero stars but it wouldn't let me post.

Jordan J.

They are physically rough with their emergency room patients having physically run me o er with the wheelchair they were pushing me in with . Dragging my leg under the chair. Then ignoring me in the lobby . Seeing All other patients and still ignoring me. This is Not Health Care This Is Gross Negligence. Kathy is agist and discriminatory, Rylie P. At emergency front desk should not have her job especially after running me over then flat out ignoring me repeatedly to address the fact she ran me over. I will be contacting a lawyer for abuse and negligence in running me over than ignoring my health care. It is never ok to abuse and neglect a patient.

Jeff A.

Craziest thing keeps happening to me. I'm just chillin, having a couple of libations with the boys, and I lie down for a nap. Next thing you know there's flashing lights and two paramedics asking me if I want to go to the hospital. I tell them "heck yea dude". Staff there is wonderful. On Wednesday nights there's a tall Italian guy behind the front desk who always greets me with a smile. Even when they are full, the Italian man finds me a bed in the hallway and brings me some warm blankets and a urinal. Food is solid, they don't have a lot of menu options but they serve a mean turkey on wheat. Bruce Lee once said "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times". That's their one kick dude. And it packs a punch. Shout out Cole and Stephan. Tall guy with the receding hairline and tattoos is awesome too. Love those guys. Only bad part is they wake you up at like 5 am. Reminds me of mother. Oh mother. Where would I be without SB Cottage. I highly recommend going here.