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Review Highlights
“The charge nurse interviewed me before I left the hospital to find out if I had a good experience.” in 2 reviews
“You're rude and decrepit and slow and maybe even a little dirty, but without you I wouldn't be here.” in 2 reviews
“Yes, this is a county hospital so you may experience some long wait times, but that is to be expected.” in 5 reviews
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About the Business
Established in 1923. San Mateo Medical Center, the public hospital in San Mateo County, has been at its current location since 1923.
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Overall rating
115 reviews
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1 star
- Sandra S.Foster City, CA01Mar 24, 2024
Unfortunately with my condition I've had to visit a few ERs in the peninsula over the last couple of years - UCSF, ZSFG, Mills, Sequoia, and most recently San Mateo Medical Center. I was nervous to come to SMMC because of the bad reviews but its the closest ER to my house and I had a scary emergency. To my surprise it turned out to be one of the better ERs out of all of those other ones I've visited. I'm sorry but I will never go to Mills, Sequoia, or Stanford ever again. I'm sure their doctors are great but their bedside manner needs improvement. Everyone I encountered at the ER at SMMC were very friendly, and the doctor + 2 nurses that helped me were very compassionate and made me feel cared-for and at-ease during a very scary medical emergency. 5 stars for their ER! But take an Uber or get a ride because parking is a PITA.
I only gave 3 stars however because I've had horrible luck with their Primary Care Clinic. I've been trying to get an appointment for over a month. I was put on a waitlist but no one can tell me approximately how long it's going to be..2 weeks, 6 months, 1 year..no one can tell me. And it took several phone calls talking to different people just to get added to the waitlist.Helpful 0Thanks 1Love this 0Oh no 0Business owner information
Karen P.
May 2, 2024
Hi Sandra - While I am sorry you've had to frequently visit ERs over the past few years, I am glad to hear you had a positive experience at San Mateo Medical Center. I will be sure to let the team know about your review.
If you have not yet been able to get the primary care appointment you need, please contact our Patient Advocate at 650-573-3731 and explain the barriers you are experiencing. There may be able to check on your status on the wait list or offer some alternative solutions. - Bishnu S.Milpitas, CA02Apr 23, 2024
Subject: Disappointing Experience at San Mateo Hospital
I recently had an appointment with an orthopedic specialist at San Mateo Hospital on April 23, 2024, and I must express my profound disappointment with the level of care provided. Despite suffering from arm pain for years and finally seeking the expertise of a specialist, I found the doctor to be rushed and dismissive. Their demeanor was incredibly rude, and it was evident that patient care was not a priority. It is disheartening to encounter such lack of compassion and professionalism in a healthcare setting. Unfortunately, this experience has left me with the impression that San Mateo Hospital prioritizes profit over patient well-being. I urge others to reconsider seeking treatment at this facility, as the quality of care provided falls far below acceptable standards.Helpful 3Thanks 1Love this 1Oh no 1Business owner information
Karen P.
May 2, 2024
Hi Bishnu - I am very sorry to hear about your experience at San Mateo Medical Center. I'm sure it was frustrating to be in pain and feel dismissed by the care provider.
We strive to treat everyone with compassion and kindness and I know our Patient Experience team would want to learn more about your experience so we can make improvements. Please reach out to our Patient Advocate at 650-573-3731. - Ann P.Bellevue, WA284Jul 4, 2023
I received excellent care today at the San Mateo Medical Center. The staff is polite, kind, experienced and knowledable. I arrived in severe pain and they quickly diagnosed an impacted colon.
It is a humble, small community hospital. Nothing fancy. But my care was speedy and excellent. I live in the Seattle area and my local hospital has art work, a meditation garden, a Starbucks, upholtered furniture in the lobby, a lobby fire place and even a grand piano with a variety of pianists playing calming selections. It is very nice but none of that mattered when I was in so much pain. The staff at San Mateo are equal in quality to my fancy Seattle area hospital. From check in to diagnosis to treatment to discharge was six hours. They took great care of me and I am glad I gave them a try.
Lots of spanish speaking patients and staff also as a plus.Helpful 0Thanks 1Love this 0Oh no 0Business owner information
Karen P.
Jul 5, 2023
Ann - First, I am so grateful you are feeling better. I am sure it was not fun to have to go to the Emergency Room while out of town. I'm glad our team was able to provide the care you needed.
Second, thank you so much for sharing your feedback. I will be sure to let the care team know about your comments. - Alex C.Daly City, CA130107173Mar 12, 2024
This is the worst ER I have seen. The room is very small and there is not enough chairs for pt to sit. People are cramped inside the triage room like you are getting into a train in INDIA. There should be enough space and chairs especially knowing this is catered to the low income, uninsured, and critical care pts. Family members are not allowed to accompany a pt waiting. Imagine for those non speaking or pt who are easily anxious. This is a bad idea of a policy. Please stop saying because of COVID because if that is so why are the guards and employees are not wearing any mask. Another problem is the parking lot. People are not allowed to park in the front because of some stupid reasons this hospital has. The main entrance of the hospital looks so bad with security having to screen people. I've been to Stanford, sf general, ucsf and none of this are required. This place looks like a prison hospital.
Helpful 2Thanks 1Love this 0Oh no 0Business owner information
Karen P.
May 2, 2024
Hi Alex - I'm sorry you had a disappointing experience at our ER. I wanted to share some insights on some of the things you highlighted in your review.
We do have a smaller ER than some other hospitals in the Bay Area. As a result our waiting room is small. Family members are allowed in the waiting are unless the waiting room is full. In those situations, we do ask family members to wait in their car to ensure seating for patients who need it. We do have a parking lot right outside our ER. Perhaps it was full when you visited... it sounds like you were there at a busy time. It's true no parking is allowed along the curb because it's a fire zone.
Finally, we are a weapon-free campus so we do conduct a non-invasive screening at our entrances. We've had many people tell us they appreciate knowing they can receive care in a safe environment. - Oct 21, 2021Updated review
Absolute worst Covid-19 screening in ER. They ignore proof of vaccination, and don't take temperature. The guard questioned me for 2 mins, and not the nurse.
Helpful 25Thanks 0Love this 12Oh no 1Business owner information
Karen P.
Mar 25, 2020
Hi Steve. Anyone coming into the emergency room with an emergency is triaged and seen as soon as possible, depending on the acuity of their need and the acuity of other patients. Basically, the sickest, most critical people get seen first, no matter when they come in. It sounds like your situation was different, though, and you were trying to access the hospital? If that's the case, we do have very strict access to the hospital right now because of the pandemic. If anyone needs to get into the hospital after hours, we do involve our security team.
Our Patient Advocate would love to talk with you to get a better understanding the situation so we can make any needed improvements. Our goal is to provide easy access to the care you need, when you need it! You can contact our Patient Advocate at 573-3731.
Updated reply on 6/23/2020: Thanks for your updated review! We're working hard to keep our patients safe and healthy and I'm glad to hear our efforts are noticeable. We'll keep working at it.
Original reply on 3/25/2020: Thank you for your comment, Steve. You are right about our main parking lot being not well positioned for the entrances. While we do have a small parking lot in the front of the hospital, it is frequently full. I apologize for any inconvenience our parking situation may have caused. The good news is we are under construction to build a new main entrance facing our West parking lot. Although it's a few years away from being completed, we are looking forward to having an improved experience for our patients.
I'm sorry to hear our cleanliness was not up to par. Our housekeeping team works hard to keep our facility clean. In fact, their rounds were recently increased to ensure common areas are safe and clean as we fight the new coronavirus. Unfortunately, even after cleaning an area, there could be a spill or accident that requires additional cleaning. In each restroom we provide a phone number for patients to call to let us know of any issues so we can respond as quickly as possible. We'll take a fresh look at our rounds to make sure we're covering all areas.Jan 15, 2021Previous reviewLet me get this right, if I need to enter the hospital afterhours, I have to personally call security for them to let me inside the hospital? The person doing the screening in ER says I have to call the guards myself. He gives me a phone #, and I call it......and it rings inside the ER Dept. The ER transfers me to security. OK, I'm not getting the logic of calling the ER anyways.....
Jun 22, 2020Previous reviewConditions have improved. Visitors are screened and sanitized. The hospital is cleaner, and more security is available.
Mar 24, 2020Previous reviewWhen you go inside this hospital, you get an impression that it's not cleaned often. It has a musty smell. The restroom looks like it seldom gets cleaned. Security is good.
The hospital seems like it's facing backwards. The huge parking lot is in the back, with a small lot in front. The ER is small.
The place looks nice on the outside, but go inside.....and you'll wish you were a Kaiser member. - Christina A.Menlo Park, CA103327Feb 9, 2024
My uncle was in the ICU, and the doctor told us he was strong enough to go to a regular room. He had been breathing through an oxygen tank previously to his hospital stay, and was breathing through a tube in the ICU, and when they transferred him to a regular room, they took the oxygen off and he died a few hours later. They did not call my cousins to let them know that is what they were going to do. If he needed the tube to breathe, why did they take him off of it? We may never know because no one spoke with us about it. To make matters worse, when we went down to the hospital to get his belongings and see the body, they moved him to San Leandro to some funeral home because they didn't have any storage for him. Again, no calls to my poor grieving cousins. We were all at the hospital trying to find out what happened to him and his belongings. By the way, speaking of his belongings, they lost his cell phone and his dentures when he was first admitted into ICU, and it never resurfaced. So unfortunate.
Helpful 3Thanks 2Love this 0Oh no 2Business owner information
Karen P.
Feb 13, 2024
Christina - First let me share my deepest condolences for the loss of your uncle.
Our patient experience and quality teams have seen your comments and would like to investigate what happened. I will send you a private message for next steps. - Chen G.San Jose, CA188Oct 7, 2022
Feels like the security guards would shoot me anytime.
There are 4 security guards sitting in the front screening anyone who enter the building. My son got severe injury on forehead and was bleeding, their no-visitor policy kept me out from the entrance to the room. When I was waiting inside making call to my wife, the security guys came and kick me out talking me I'm not allowed to wait here. Seems like they will shoot me anytime if I do not leave.Helpful 3Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 3Business owner information
Karen P.
Oct 7, 2022
Chen G. – First, let me say that I hope your son is doing better.
I imagine it was scary to have to bring your son to the emergency room because of a head injury. And then to have to wait outside while your wife was inside must have been frustrating. I’m sorry you went through that.
In case you ever have to come back to our emergency room, our current process is to allow one parent or guardian with a child at any given time. This is because our waiting area is very small and we are required to follow safety protocols. We encourage parents to take turns sitting with their child while they wait for care, if they like. Of course, wait times can be long in an emergency room. But, our staff triage patients to make sure they are stable and prioritize dangerous conditions.
Thank you for letting us know about your experience. Your comments were shared with our security department, our emergency room leaders, and our patient experience team. You can call our Patient Advocate at 65-573-3731 if you would like to talk to someone about your experience. - Armaan S.Millbrae, CA1723Jan 12, 2024
Don't bother calling for an appointment. They simply do not pick up the phone. Been waiting whole 40 min and nothing.
Helpful 1Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Alvin P.Daly City, CA01Jun 23, 2023
I love the security at the hospital it make me feel safe at all time with 5 or 6 security officers in emergency room
Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 1 - Kenny G.San Carlos, CA01Mar 18, 2023
I my girlfriend tried driving herself to the emergency room at San Mateo County General Hospital (Chope) for them to tell her that there is no parking allowed anywhere on the hospital property. So she came back home for me to drop her off. Then I noticed that the security at the hospital have you searched with a metal detector! Wtf kind of emergency care is this!! To top that off there are tons of barricades you have to walk around just to get to the emergency room doors from the drop off. This place is a joke!! Your better off dead infront of the place!!
Helpful 2Thanks 1Love this 0Oh no 2Business owner information
Karen P.
Mar 22, 2023
Kenny - I'm so sorry your girlfriend was unable to park near the emergency department on her recent visit. Our campus is currently under construction and depending on the time of day, parking can be tight. Of course, that’s not helpful when you don't feel well and just need to park your car!
Patients *are* allowed to park on the hospital property. We have two lots and we offer stacked parking to create as many spaces as possible. For safety purposes, we have protective barricades creating a safe path of travel from the parking lot to the emergency department.
All our campuses are weapons-free. For the safety of our patients and staff, we conduct a quick security screening of everyone who enters the building.
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