Northside Hospital

I have to say this review is for the BILLING and INSURANCE staff. Their ability to handle (or I should say LACK of ability) is the worst I have ever seen. And I grew up with both parents in the medical industry. I would not return to this hospital based on that experience alone. It's taken a year, over 150 phone calls, and weeks I'll never get back, dealing with their mistakes filing incorrectly, talking to various billing staff that had no clue, and trying to get a refund that they conveniently forgot about. I realize this is the place to complain, but if you are uncertain, I would go somewhere else. more

HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE and RUDE PEOPLE in BILLING department - I spoke with a lady named Rose who was very rude and spoke to me as though someone just hurt her dog. .. NEVER again will I use them!!! more

IF I COULD GIVE THE BILLINGS DEPARTMENT A 0 I WOULD. I HAVE HAD 3 EXPERIENCES THAT HAVE BEEN NEGATIVE WITH THIS DEPARTMENT. THEY GET YOUR BILL WRONG AND SAY IT IS YOUR FAULT THEN THEY LEAVE IT UP TO YOU TO FIX IT. CASE IN POINT I HAD A BABY AND 3 YEARS LATER THEY ARE SENDING ME A BILL SAYING MY CHILD STAYED A EXTRA DAY. IT TOOK ME A YEAR TO GET IT STRAIGHT AFTER THEY SENT ME TO COLLECTIONS. NOW AGAIN I AM HAVING A PROBLEM WITH A SUPPOSE TO BE FREE MAMMOGRAM. I AM NEVER USING NORTHSIDE HOSPITAL AGAIN. IT IS NOT WORTH THE PAIN AND SUFFERING YOU GO THROUGH WITH THEIR BILLINGS DEPARTMENT. THEY ARE HORRIBLE. more

The recent experience at Northside Hopital has been so revealing and I would strongly suggest a review of the patient experience. It will strongly suggest that you take significant measures to respect the valuable time of future patients when conducting pre - op arrangements. We have been to several offices and have now switched oner 75 minutes waiting for pre-op blood tests. I am questioning if all these delays actually cost the health care system and its customers elevated costs. The customers time should be respected and the practices should be streamlined. more

I will not bore you with all the details of my experience at this hospital but I've been experiencing pain in the flank area including left side, lower abdomen, back & down to my groin area.. I suspect its a kidney stone & I'm planning to see urologist in a few days. Meanwhile, the pain became unbearable so I went to ER. The Dr as well as the other staff members were rude and uncaring.Before running any test or even testing my urine sample, the DR. diagnosed me with muscle spasms based on my explanation of my pain....???. When i questioned her diagnosis, she became defensive and even more rude. I asked if she would at least test my urine & it resulted in a Urinary Tract Infection. They gave me a shot for pain & i had a bad reaction to it where I began vomiting ,had shortness of breath and very painful chest pain. When my daughter called for the nurses and doctor, they told her in the hallway those were side effects of the meds and never came to back to my room to check on me. A lot more happened but I just want to put this experience behind me. My daughter and I both left this hospital asking one another , "Did that just really happen" In conclusion, I left the hospital in more pain than I came with & wouldn't take my ex mother in law to this hospital.....If you have options,PLEASE utilize another one more

Went for an MRI w/dye . Tuesday Dec 18th Nurse had somewhat hard time finding vein . "Oh , i'm sorry if i'm hurting you " That evening started to feel stiffness in arm . Next morning swelling the half size of tennis ball in forearm and bicep . Called and they told me call Dr . Dr. didn't get back w/ me so called Radiology again , well you need to call Dr or go to emergency room . asked , well what can i put on ice or heat . " Maybe ice" they stated . Still in pain 12-22 , swelling going down little . No call backs from hospital when i gave them a heads up . Two nurse practitioner up my way told me they blew a vein .Would not go back to 1000 Johnson Ferry Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30342-1606 more

Before I begin, I would like to point out, that I have (and still have) continuous health care coverage for as long as I can remember. Late 2010, I had a severe asthma attack after playing football. Luckily my friend was still around and he called 911. The ambulance arrived about 3 minutes later and rushed me to the hospital. I fell unconscious in the ambulance, so I don't remember much while I continued to slip in and out of consciousness. I finally woke up early in the morning with a tube down my throat. I fell asleep again and woke up a few hours later with my wife in the room. Because I was still attached to the ventilator, I was unable to speak. Eventually the ventilator was removed when it was determined I could breathe on my own. After it was removed, one of the first things my wife told me was that the hospital tried to get her to consider signing a DNR (do not resuscitate) sheet on me, but obviously she refused or I probably wouldn't be writing this review. My only guess is that the reason they tried to push the DNR on her was because they THOUGHT I didn't have insurance. (I did BTW, and still do). Because I arrived to the hospital unconscious, there was no way I give them my information. But that didn't seem to matter; the quicker I die, the quicker they no longer have to waste their time or resources on me. The staff was nice at first, but as the days went by as I continued to recover they seemed to get more and more irritated, and seemed to want to force me out. The day of my discharge, a lady came by to discuss payment options and that's when I told her I did have insurance and I would give her the insurance card when my wife came by to pick me up. Ultimately, I had to physically walk down to the billing department to give them my insurance information which triggered another slight asthma attack, but the nursing staff didn't even care, they sent me home anyway but I eventually recovered on my own. This hospital saved my life, but if they had their way and my wife signed the DNR, I'd be dead. more

Northside Atlanta's notorious know nickname as the "Baby Factory" is the most apt I can think of. Unless you're prepared to be treated like a product on an assembly line, I'd advise any woman to go as far away from this place as possible to give birth. The nurses, CNM's, and OB in charge of mine and my son's care were rude and unsupportive of my birth plan, which was to be a natural birth. The second I walked in, showing no signs of distress to me or my baby I was bullied into pitocin, an epidural, and after a three day fight a very unnecessary cesarean. The risk of infection I was told I had, less than 2%, I never showed any signs of. I had to keep reminding the staff that I had to consent to any procedure they tried to force me into. I was finally told my 6 pound baby was too big, a very blatant lie. My epidural was done incorrectly and was leaking down my back and I had full feeling everywhere. Instead of correcting it, the anesthesiologist ignored my complaints and put me under general anesthesia without asking for my consent. I screamed in pain and could be heard in the hallway because my epidural was inserted incorrectly and I couldn't breathe. I wasn't allowed to be awake for my son's non-emergency birth and his father wasn't allowed to witness it either. At northside you are a number and treated with no respect. If you're okay with getting in and out quickly, no matter the risks to you, your baby, and your emotional state, go ahead and have your baby at a facility where nearly half of births result in cesareans out of mere convenience and financial gain. If you'd like to be treated with dignity, respect, and support, go elsewhere more

I have been a patient at Northside Hospital for over 20 Years. I recently lost my husband on the atlanta campus and am sad to say Northside Hospital has turned for the worst. I went to medical records to get some assistance on my late husband's records. The young lady at the front desk could not answer my questions so she went and got a manger name Janet who was rude, inpatient and rushing me to leave the office. She avoided my questions and didn't provide me with any assistance. She was also chewing gum while she was talking to me.She didn't even show compassion. This is unprofessional conduct .. I will have to find a person who can assist me with my questions. I wouldn't take my dog to that place. This hospital has gone down in customer service. I will call piedmont hospital to see if they can help answer my questions about records. Ms. Lisa more

I dont know why this hospital has changed. The nurses are "low grade" and they are not trained to be compassionate. It appears to me that the nurses are in the wrong field. So to sum it up, if you dont have family members that care about you, you will be in worse shape when you leave than when you arrived. Its not that you think. Good luck if you decide to go to the "No Care" Northside. more

I will never VOLUNTARILY use Northside Hospital again because of their billing department. Doctors, Nurses, Facilities are excellent. Long story short. Had surgery at the beginning of November. Insurance paid their obligation. I received a bill on December 30th for my share. Have received DAILY 8:00 am phone calls every day beginning January 2. Sent payment on January 2nd. Posted to my AMEX January 8th. Today is January 14th - THEY ARE STILL CALLING. Was told it is not their problem that their system is not showing is as being paid. Very unprofessional. HARASSMENT. more

Good: Nothing to likie about this department.. Bad: Very unprofessional. Treated me like a dead beat and was calling and demaning payment for a bill I had NOT received. When I told the rude gentleman that I did NOT have the bill he all but called me liar! THEN...another phone call 3 days before Breast Cancer surgery, I was demanded to pay $1500 of which was completely incorrect. DO NOT USE NORTHIDE HOSPITAL if you can avoid it. The staff is great but the billing department is a NIGHTMARE!. Improvements: I had surgery last year at North Fulton and they are a Tenet hospital. Very PROFESSIONAL billing department and not hounds calling you BEFORE receiving the bills.. Other: Do NOT use Northside Hospital if you can avoid it. The billing department will be a NIGHTMARE. more

Northside Hospital is considered to be a baby factory of Atlanta. I had a favorable experience with the doctors there. However, admissions staff was very rude. Also, their billing department lacks good customer service practices. Once the service was performed, the billing dept called me saying that the insurance company declined my claim (after the assessment was done that the claim would be paid) and I needed to call insurance company and resolve the issue. When I asked them any details behind the issue before I call insurance company, they could not provide any. I called insurance comapany, but only to be notified that my bill has been paid the day before. So, why I received a call from the billing dept, I wasn't sure. My experience with other hospitals was also that they deal with insurance companies, not the patients. In addition, when the hospital sent me a bill for the remaining amount (after insurance payment), it was a one pager with the amount due. Other hospitals send a detail bill. Once I inquired Northside about the detailed bill, they said it has to be specifically requested by the patient. Are they trying to save on paper? Also, I got a follow up call from a rude person in their billing department within 15 days of bill being due, telling me that the bill is DUE NOW and what payment I will be making TODAY, otherwise, we need to work out a payment arrangement. They were expecting a payment from me "NOW", however, when I had a refund due from them, it took months to receive. As far as customer service, this Northside hospital is far behind Emory. more

We had considered the doctors opinion to have my IUD removed under anaesthesia and went to Northside hospital as an Outpatient treatment. Its was estimated that it would not cost more than 30$ (Deductible) to have this process done and after the treatment they stick us with 1000$ bills from the Hospital. Very soon after I lost my job and was since then trying to see if billing department will be able to help me out with the bill, but the dept is very rude in answering and they are not considerate to my situation and not ready to negotiate a little bit. Now I am left with only option to let this bill pending till I find my job (dont know when) or not to pay this at all. Before the treatment they tell you one thing and after treatment they tell you the other. So, donot trust the hospital and the doctors there. I would never go to this doctor nor to this hospital again. more

I enjoyed delivering my 3 kids at this hospital. The facility is clean and beautiful. The labor and delivery rooms are large and comfortable and private. The labor nurses are wonderful. Couldn't have asked for better care. In the family care units you go to afterward though, there are still some older rooms with paper thin walls. If you are lucky enough to get one of the newer rooms they are fine. The day nurses are ususally wonderful but the attention and care of the night nurses was lacking. They allowed children to run screaming in the hallways past 10 PM keeping all the patients awake and really made me feel bad about calling them for anything. It's a shame as I really enjoyed my experience aside from the night nurses. more

Northside Hospital is the only place in Atlanta to have a baby. Not only for their superior L&D facilities, but because of the amazing programs at the Women's Center for every aspect of Pregnancy, childbirth and taking care of a new baby. The hospital offers help with every thing you could think of and they are very appreciative of women and the magnitude of pregnancy and childbirth. more