I really believe that people are talking about the policies of these places, not necessarily the employees. Overworked, understaffed, under experienced on the job are not employee issues, they are policy issues.
I have had family working at Mercy and Dean. The family member who worked at Mercy would not go there. The Dean family member pays extra just for the ability to go to Dean.

I have done most of my clinical rotations at Mercy Hospital..I have NOT had one complaint about my level of care there. The nurses at Mercy take time to address patients concerns and go the extra mile for their patients.
I plan on working at Mercy Hospital when I graduate in a few weeks, and I KNOW I will continue to provide safe, quality, and compassionate care there.

As a healthcare professional, customer service is a high prioirty. If it's important to the patient then it should be important to us. We are the ones who need to help educate our patients and give them reassurance. Our jobs are what people count on for advice and opinions. I have never been to Mercy hospital, so to say anything in there regard would only be from reading these email-if patients are complaining and services are not being met-this is a time to re-evaluated your situation and improve things of concern. I agree with the other reviews when they write, everyone has bad experiences somewhere. Isn't there enough crazy things in our world today that fighting over who's better is petty. If things are bad anywhere then as a patient or customer-it's there right to complain, but it's also better to be part of the solution then the problem. File complaints, do what you have to to get things to be different. Mercy Hosp ER has 2 years to make things improved if these are true issues with their facility. With any business if there are complaints then there should be action to fix and improve things/services. There's enough hate and anger in our world- why not work together to make a happier world to live in.
One more comment-about the jobs, they're for more than educated professionals, their needs to be receptionist, medical records, custodial work, deli workers, and volunteers-each job is vital in running a hospital. They are so many opportunities opening up in your community- embrace it.

melstew47---first of all.. its an EMERGENCY room, not a "pain clinic". An ER provides EMERGENCY treatment, not primary health care--which is what many in this community think. As a student, I had the opportunity to observe the daily routine of Mercy's ER, and I think it is an exceptional operation. I was however appauled at the ignorance of people who truly believe that a case of scabies or head lice, or a "stuck" bellybutton piercing is a medical emergency! Perhaps this is why there are wait times in the ER. People need to realize that the urgency of your treatment in the ER is based on your need to be seen, not who checked in before whom. The laws of health care are such that if you present to an ER they can not turn you away--you must be treated--HOWEVER, those sicker than you WILL be treated first. If you have a medical emergency do not hesitate to seek treatment in the ER--(knee pain, chronic pain of any type, rashes, minor sunburns, splinter in your finger, etc., DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN ER VISIT!) I'm not sure where the negative comments about the staff in the ER comes from, but it has been my experience, as an observer and as an ER patient that the staff is kind, compassionate, caring, and when a medical emergency presents itself they ARE trained and qualified to meet the needs of the patient and their family. Perhaps another hospital with an ER in this city is needed, especially when there are so many who choose to use the ER out of convenience, ignorance, or for primary care that can be easily administered by a primary care physician.

People need to understand that the "new jobs" they are promising aren't all they are cracked up to be. The majority of the new jobs are for skilled, educated professionals. Those same people who already have jobs. Very few jobs will be created to employ those who currently are not employed. So--that means the 2 hospitals will have to compete for an already limited supply of employees. And what will that do? Drive up the price of healthcare. Good news if you're a nurse or pharmacist. Not so good for the general public, employers, tax payers and insurers!

remember one thing deancare only takes deancare and certain other insurances and dean has dropped alot of insurances, dean clinics are far better rated in patient care and customer service than mercy. there doctors are far more compassionate than mercy doctors. now for mercy, they done my husbands brain surgery, and done a great job. the doctors and nurses were wonderful and done their job very well.there is good and bad no matter where you go, and mistakes will be made even at dean. what gives mercy such a bad name is mainly their er department 90 percent of the doctors and nurses who work in that department are the rudest people ive ever seen and have had to deal with, and god forbid if you go in there in pain, they actually tell you not to come there for pain, where are you suppose to go? not everyone is drug addict and if they would read your chart instead running their mouth with rude comments, maybe people would not talk such crap about them. javon bea needs to go down to the er department and put his foot in some xxxxx and teach some of those people what respect means, an myself i havent been to mercy hospital in a year. would i go there, ummm. nope. the hospital is a good one, the er departmen is not.

People in other countries only wish they had healthcare as good as us? The US healthcare system ranks 37th (WHO)
1 France
2 Italy
3 San Marino
4 Andorra
5 Malta
6 Singapore
7 Spain
8 Oman
9 Austria
10 Japan
11 Norway
12 Portugal
13 Monaco
14 Greece
15 Iceland
16 Luxembourg
17 Netherlands
18 United Kingdom
19 Ireland
20 Switzerland
21 Belgium
22 Colombia
23 Sweden
24 Cyprus
25 Germany
26 Saudi Arabia
27 United Arab Emirates
28 Israel
29 Morocco
30 Canada
31 Finland
32 Australia
33 Chile
34 Denmark
35 Dominica
36 Costa Rica
37 United States of America
38 Slovenia
39 Cuba
40 Brunei
41 New Zealand
42 Bahrain
43 Croatia
44 Qatar
45 Kuwait
46 Barbados
47 Thailand
48 Czech Republic
49 Malaysia
50 Poland

you people who think mercy is a bad hospital....have not really seen a bad hospital.

thank god....Mercy Is Horrible....

oh the reason I stated that. Is I almost died in mercy's waiting room 3yrs ago.

nursingstudent who are you trying to kid? Mercy provides the opposite

Mercy provides quality and compassionate care.

I would not advise my worst enemy to go to Dean, they are terrible, they have a horrible reputation elsewhere, I along with many ive talked to have had nightmarish experiences with Dean care, Mercy may not be the 5 star hospital of the big cities but ill take it any day hands down over dean.

Saw this today in the Chicago Trib's highlights of the day....

The parent company of St. Francis Hospital in Blue Island will build a new $140 million hospital in Janesville, Wis., one week after announcing that it would close the south suburban Chicago hospital because of millions of dollars in losses and rising numbers of patients who cannot pay their bills.

The plan was disclosed in a memo to the hospital operator's Wisconsin employees from Sister Mary Jean Ryan, CEO of SSM Health Care of St. Louis, obtained by the Tribune.

"We are aware that the timing of the Janesville announcement is difficult, especially so soon after last week's announcement that we plan to close St. Francis Hospital and Health Center in Blue Island," SSM said in the memo. "However, the Janesville hospital has been in the planning stages for years and capital for the project was approved by SSM Health Care in July of 2007."

SSM said the timing of the announcement of the new 50-bed hospital in Janesville had to be coordinated with the Dean Health System, a large doctor group in Madison, Wis., that is also involved in the Janesville project. SSM also has a hospital in Madison.

I hope the new hospitals emergency room moves alot faster then the hospital in janesville. no one should have to wait 5hours to be treated when there was 2 doctors on staff that night along with a number of nurses there as well. something needs to be done. and i hope this new hospital can do a better job of treating people

I agree that there are always good and bad experiences at every facility. What a lot dont realize is that even though you may be a patient at Mercy you may have a Dean physician. For all you Dean lovers, does anyone remember the St. Mary's nurse who made a medical mistake which resulted in a womans death while in labor? Mistakes happen everywhere. I have had a lot of experience with Mercy. I wouldnt trade the doctors and nurses who have helped me for anything.

jvlreader: That information is not from the Gazette, it is from EMPLOYEES of Mercy and a patient that I know who was just plain butchered by one of their doctors. You will find negative aspects to every medical facility but for God's sake, those are not just minor human error!

Doesn't seem silly to pay the "My hospital is better then your hospital" game? Those in foreign countries can only dream of having such a dilemma. I just feel extremely fortunate that we will now have access to two wonderful medical facilities in our immediate area.

Great news for Janesville, Rock County, and patients. It certainly is about time!!!

I was glad to hear it was St. Mary's and not another Mercy.

As for comments regarding Dean vs. Mercy; I love all my Mercy Doctors. They're wonderful. Mercy's Urgent Care is a joke. The hospital is okay for some things; but for anything more serious than a sprain or broken bone I'm glad I'll have a better option.

This is great! More jobs in the area, construction, medical, maintanance, food services.

Mercy almost killed my sister! No way would I ever go to Mercy, there is no Mercy there.

TO: ANM0198: You never hear the good comments. Almost all commets posted on the Gazette site are negative. Why would these be any different?

I can't wait until a new hospital is built so we can here all the bad things that take place there. Errors are made by people. If you go to Madison or Rockford and talk to people there you will hear the same comments. Some will be good and most will be bad. I for one support Mercy, I have had outstanding service. Riverview, however, almost killed my father.

Mercy is great and Dean stinks and nothing you can do or say will ever change my mind. Dean will always be 2nd fiddle in Janesville.

I agree with Bigmike, there is always a bad experience somewhere. I agree that mercy should have all private rooms for patient privacy, but I work at Mercy and I enjoy everyone that I work with, I treat people with the respect they deserve as do many of my co-workers. I enjoy my patients and always try to make sure they have a good experience. I am sorry to the patients that encounter the few bad employees that we do have. Have a great Day!

In case you didn't see the link above, here is the full story.

http://www.gazettextra.com/news/2008/apr...

I still don't understand why the gazette does this, when the stories were posted just a few hours apart.

I've had horrible experiences with doctors from both (Dean and Mercy) and great experiences with doctors from both. I think it depends on the doctor more than the parent corporation.

Mercy WILL take a big hit when the hospital is built. Bigmike, your comment surprises me as I don't think I have heard anything positive about Mercy in a very long time. They have used unsanitary instruments during procedures, have turned patients away from an ER that was riduculously understaffed, and I wouldn't send my worst enemy to their plastic surgery department in fear they would be butchered! A Dean hospital will be blessing for Janesville!

My dad went to a Mercy doctor a few years ago - they diagnosed him with prostate cancer. They wanted to do surgery right away & start radiation ASAP. He went to Madison for a 2nd opinion - they didn't find ANY cancer. He does go in for regular checks - still no sign of cancer. A good friend of mine was a patient at Mercy & almost was given the wrong blood during a transfusion - they could have killed her. I could rattle off more examples, but I don't have time. So I say HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!! for the new hospital!! It's about time.

No matter where you go or what you do, someone has always had a bad experience somehow or some way. Doesn't matter if you are talking health care, restaraunts, car repair, you name it. Mercy did my knee surgery (I tore about everything in my knee you could and not lose your leg-in fact I was told before going under that I may wake up with no leg) and not only am I as good as ever, I do triathlons and am going to run a marathon in May. No second opinion ever needed on that one.

Bigmike-In my opinion, Mercy will feel a big hit. As a former patient of Mercy Hospital, I am all for St Mary's coming to town. I had a stroke and went to Mercy, after doing some tests they sent me home and told me to take aspirin everday. I wanted a 2nd opinion so I went to Madison and they have worked with me to the point that unless you see my medical records, you would never know I had a stroke. While I do have a couple Dr's here in Janesville that I trust, for the most part my medical needs are handled in Madison. If I had stayed with Mercy I have no idea where I would be today.

Competition is good, maybe both Dean and Mercy will improve their customer service. I have not had any problems with Dean but Mercy I have been treated poorly in their ER and given wrong medication in the hospital, I know it can happen anywhere, human error and all but it will be nice to know that if I choose I have another option.

Well I feel the same way about DEAN and I wouldn't go there for anything. Mercy is outstanding. You people don't know how good you have it. Mercy has ruled in Janesville and always will. Dean building a hospital will not have any effect other than to create jobs (which is good) but Mercy won't feel any loss. To believe anything less is foolish.

Can't wait....finally a decent hospital close without having to drive to Stoughton!

This is fantastic!! I wouldn't take my dog to Mercy to get fixed. Dean is a very welcome addition to town. I'm sure they will have to add on soon after completion. COME ON DOWN!!

YAY! Perhaps this is just what "the doctor ordered." Perhaps this will help the South side businesses as well.

Only 50 beds? That seems so small! Mercy is going to lose alot more than that to a Dean hospital!

Its about time!!!!! See ya Mercy!!!!

I welcome this announcement. Lets hope the new Dean hospital is designed with patient privacy and quietness in mind. Mercy is cramped, noisy and there is no patient privacy- the staff discusses your health issues with you no matter who else is in the room.

HALEUYAH!