Montage Health Foundation - Monterey, California

Patricia H. O.

Montage Health appears to be the parent company of the hospital based in Monterey, as well as the affiliated hospice. Because of this association, healthcare for elderly patients appears to be compromised. This is the review I wrote for Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. My Dad was hospitalized there on August 28, 2023 for a kidney infection. He was then pushed into hospice, which has been disastrous. Here is my Google review for CHOMP: "This hospital has an affiliated hospice, which, quite frankly, is a conflict of interest. Be careful if your loved one is elderly. As your loved one is recovering, and getting ready for discharge, hospice will descend. Or at least that's our experience. The hospital/hospice tried to recruit my Dad three years ago. He was hospitalized after a fall. Fortunately a family member was able to fend them off. Dad returned home, became ambulatory and enjoyed a decent quality of life. I hate to think of what would have happened if we had agreed to hospice back then. Recently, we weren't so lucky. Dad was hospitalized again late last summer with a kidney infection. Despite his age he made a remarkable recovery with antibiotics. But instead of helping him get back on his feet, the hospital allowed its affiliated hospice to do what it does best: Recruit vulnerable patients. Hospice has been disastrous. Going on hospice means plans are being made for your impending death. (We were told Dad was going to die soon.) That's why nothing is done to rehabilitate you. Don't expect physical therapy. Don't expect anyone to care if you ever leave your bed again. Don't expect anyone to do anything other than prepare for your death. In fact, within a week of being on hospice the nurse passed along a message to a family member that Dad would probably die within a "few days." However, this made no sense. Dad had just rallied, responding very well to antibiotics. He was alert and talking in the hospital. Why was he suddenly sleeping all the time now? I called the nurse and begged her to consider that he could have another UTI. Everyone with a passing knowledge of geriatrics knows that urinary infections in the elderly can cause a wide range of symptoms, and can even mimic impending death. Plus Dad had just been hospitalized for a kidney infection. However, the hospice nurse was dismissive when I called her on September 14, 2023. At that time, she would not agree to culture his urine. No one took my concerns seriously, until Dad began urinating blood. Finally his urine was cultured. He began showing signs of another possible UTI in late October/early November. Once again, no treatment until he began to urinate blood. I've reached out to hospice, begging them to please do something proactively, to prevent these repeated infections. All I want is decent care for my Dad. He deserves it. I've reached out to the CHOMP compliance department with various complaints about hospice. (No response.) I've reached out to Medicare to try to get help. Medicare was wonderful, going so far as to call hospice on my behalf. My Dad is a strong man. He is a US Army veteran. He survived two tours in Vietnam. He also survived cancer twice, including a recurrence of the original cancer. But I fear he won't survive hospice and its lousy care. (Dad would be off of hospice if it were up to me but it's not.)"

Calla B.

I had requested images for studies from medical records who told me to go to mychart. Then I called the Diagnostic Imaging department who said I can request it through Medical records or go to Marina since we live close to Marina.

I went as suggested and the people there just did not seem to want me to request images from them and did not make me feel welcome.

I had to go twice since my doctor also wanted a images from a different modality. Inside of sending me through hoops and hurdles if the Medical Records department would have just said they would take care of it, it would have been better. Instead I felt I was given the run around and then felt even worse requesting my own records.

Leah L.

God forbid you get a woman names Lisa on the phone. Might as well hang up. Rude, illogical, unprofessional. Zero care or understanding. I ended up using cerebral.com because care in our area is a complete joke.

possumistic

Avoid Dr Armas at all costs. I confirmed several lies he told me when I got a second and third opinion. Needless to say I no longer have any association with him or Montage.

Frank M.

Irma' office mgr... Excellent CS listened helped solved problems

Cesar H.

Nice people working there and they helped me with all my question s

William S.

Great local medical user k

Monterey C.

Good