According to US News and World Report, the Brigham is 10th in country as an overall hospital (it was 25th for treating breast cancer) and we couldn’t agree more. Both Brendan and I were mightily impressed with the hospital.
Visitor Waiting Area: The waiting area was incredible. Brendan had a pager/light thing (the thing you get when you are at a restaurant to let you know when your table is ready) that would alert him when a doctor called or there was new information. They also took his name and phone number down and my actual surgeons called his cell phone to discuss what was finished and any information that could be provided. Brendan’s fear was that he would be walking around not knowing what was going on but that was not the case. In fact, when he went to the desk at one point to inquire abou the surgery he was told “The first incision was made at 11:02.” The area also has free snacks, coffee, wifi, papers, and TV.
Surgeons: I have talked about my surgeons in previous posts but I cannot stress enough how much I love them. Dr. Guo and Dr. Carter were great the morning of the surgery and during my entire stay. Dr. Carter went out of her way to check in on me every day even on the days she was seeing patients at her Quincy office. Both explained everything in great detail and never minded answering our questions. More importantly, we never felt like we couldn’t ask anything of them. And as far as we know – they both did terrific work.
Nurses: I loved all of my nurses. It was great to get to a regular room because we got to have some repeats in terms of nurses. These people had great bedside manners and were very patient with me when I needed help getting in and out of bed. They also were great in terms of deciding what to eat. Those first few days I was hesitant to eat anything but they had great suggestions and made sure that I ordered my meals. They also took great care when administering the dreaded heparin shot and I think felt bad. The last few times the nurse knew to wake Brendan up if the shot was coming. What I also liked is that they weren’t afraid to joke around with us because as most of you know, Brendan and I can be somewhat sarcastic at times.
Food: I had an expectation of the Brigham’s food from Larry. He said he and his wife looked forward to the room service when they delivered their children. So I was expecting some good stuff. And it was good. And you could order anything on the menu at any time of the day. It was like a diner. I didn’t venture into steak tips land but I loved that I could eat on my schedule and have a wide variety of options.
Accommodations: The ICU room was okay and I barely remember it. But I do remember that the ICU is noisy. Everyone talks at all hours of the day in the ICU. My regular room was much quieter and was like a hotel. And I am not joking. We had room for a pull out chair for Brendan, a flat screen tv, mini fridge, bathroom and right outside the room was a kitchen area for our use. The hallways were a nice carpet for when I walked around the floor.
Overall, if you need surgery – I recommend the Brigham.