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Rating, please! Kapi`olani Medical Center...

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  • Rating, please! Kapi`olani Medical Center...

    Just curious...has anyone here received care from Kapi`olani Medical Center? Is the hospital exceptional or lacking? In Hawai`i, is KMC considered top-of-the-line, or mediocre?

    I ask, because my studies on Queen Kapi`olani led me to the hospital, so I'd really like to know how much things have changed since she established Kapi`olani Maternity Hospital in 1909.
    ~'Ailina

  • #2
    Re: Rating, please! Kapi`olani Medical Center...

    Gosh, the last time I was there was in 1982 giving birth to my second child, Ligaya! The service was excellent. The intern kept saying, "no, she too early." I gave birth full term that night! Overall, I liked it.
    Last edited by 1stwahine; August 15, 2005, 03:04 PM.
    Be AKAMAI ~ KOKUA Hawai`i!
    Philippians 4:13 --- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

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    • #3
      Re: Rating, please! Kapi`olani Medical Center...

      I was born at Kapi'olani, and so were my kids. I don't remember much about the first time I was there but from my experiences as a young anxious dad, I was always impressed by the quality of the care in the prenatal, labor and delivery, and postnatal services. Thumbs up!

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      • #4
        Re: Rating, please! Kapi`olani Medical Center...

        I think Kapi'olani (when it was the women's hospital) used to be the best place on Oahu to have babies. I was born there, too.

        Miulang
        "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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        • #5
          Re: Rating, please! Kapi`olani Medical Center...

          Originally posted by Ailina
          Just curious...has anyone here received care from Kapi`olani Medical Center? Is the hospital exceptional or lacking? In Hawai`i, is KMC considered top-of-the-line, or mediocre?

          I ask, because my studies on Queen Kapi`olani led me to the hospital, so I'd really like to know how much things have changed since she established Kapi`olani Maternity Hospital in 1909.
          My sister gave birth to one daughter in Hilo and the other in Kapi'olani, because of dangerous prematurity. She said the care and quality between the two was as different as night and day.

          pax

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          • #6
            Re: Rating, please! Kapi`olani Medical Center...

            Kapiolani Medical Center has a very good reputation, overall. Their emphasis on women and children certainly helps attract the best talent, and of course they also have specialized facilities and equipment. I knew before I had kids that I wanted them to be born there, and my first two children - a daughter and a son - were.

            The overall birth experience was great. And the son born there, when he later required major surgery, certainly seemed to have the help of the best folks in the state. Absolutely for serious issues, Kapiolani seems to be the place to be.

            But, I have to say that I've heard my share of complaints, and certainly had some of my own. I switched health plans after our second child, so the third was born at Kaiser. Seeing all the hand-wringing over HMOs in general, I not only had low hopes, I was downright scared. But, as it turns out, the Kaiser folks were spectacular... perhaps even better... in the delivery room, and especially in maternity after-care.

            At Kapiolani, you go from four-star service in the delivery rooms (which are spectacular) to being treated like cattle in the maternity ward -- it seemed like the nurses and staff there actually hated their jobs, and in a couple of cases, their charges as well. We absolutely could not wait to be discharged, and in fact agitated to be let go early. Only after a doctor could be found and deigned to check in on us, of course.

            Kaiser might have more modest accommodations, but the transition from birth to recovery was much better managed. If I had to choose again (which I won't, knock on wood), as long as the pregnancy was normal, I think I'd go with Kaiser.

            And heck, a friend of mine just sings the praises of Wahiawa General. The facility is so old you think you're giving birth in a Turkish prison, but apparently the people there are second to none.

            Best bet? Take advantage of the facility tours all these places should offer. The one that feels right is the one for you... even if it's your living room!

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            • #7
              Re: Rating, please! Kapi`olani Medical Center...

              I was born at Kapi'olani and I had surgery on my bladder there when I was a baby (8 months old I do believe.) From what I understand they took great care of me. My mother has nothing but good to say about the place and the people. Well, at least back then. I'm only in my mid 20's though, so not TOO long ago, even if I do feel like I'm older than my years a husband and 2 keiki later.

              My Auntie (now retired) worked at Wahiawa General. I can honestly say that she is one of the nicest souls I've ever had the pleasure of knowing in my life and that's not a biased comment because we are related. I could only have dreamed to have a nurse as kind as her when I was in labor. But the nurses I had in Southern California, that's a different subject.
              I'm disgusted and repulsed, and I can't look away.

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              • #8
                Re: Rating, please! Kapi`olani Medical Center...

                My Mom had 4 kids there, and if she choose that hospital for a decade, then they must be doing something right.

                And I was prematurely born, so they took care of me for a few months.
                How'd I get so white and nerdy?

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                • #9
                  Re: Rating, please! Kapi`olani Medical Center...

                  The medical plan I had at the time in the mid-90s was based at Kapiolani Medical Center and my doctor had an office there. As the years went by, my medical plan changed, my doctor moved out of Kapiolani Medical Center and any new referrals has been to doctors who pracatice at Queens. Then again my current medical issues don't involve having kids.
                  Last edited by helen; August 16, 2005, 10:55 PM.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Rating, please! Kapi`olani Medical Center...

                    Like pzarq said, we have found Kapiolani to be an extremely mixed bag. Care in the postpartum unit leaves a lot to be desired. Nurses are hideously underpaid and it shows for sure at Kapiolani.

                    When our son went in for brain sugery, every negative impression I had from my two birthing experiences was instantly erased. The PICU is second to none. Every person in the unit kicked serious healthcare butt. It was run like nothing I'd ever seen. If I had brain surgery, I'd want them all taking care of me.

                    But Kaiser was all around better in the labor and delivery department.

                    Still, do take a tour and ask a lot of questions. Kapiolani's policy on VBAC's is to not do them. Kapiolani "rooms in" on request while it's mandatory at Kaiser. Find out whatever you need to know before you decide.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Rating, please! Kapi`olani Medical Center...

                      for what it's worth, our daughter was born there just about 1.5 yrs ago and it was great: before, during and after. the best advice has already been given: take advantage of their free tours and go with what you feel comfortable with.

                      (nurses at kapiolani are terribly underpaid? i didn't know that. do you have any figures, e.g., kapiolani vs queens?)
                      525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes - how do you measure, measure a year?

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                      • #12
                        Re: Rating, please! Kapi`olani Medical Center...

                        I meant that nurses in general are underpaid and Kapiolani nurses are so grumpy one can see that they must be paid badly.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Rating, please! Kapi`olani Medical Center...

                          hmmmm. i've a few friends in the medical field and they all consistently tell me about how much nurses get paid. 100k a year is a common salary (mainly through overtime which is easy to get/do).... i'd guess you were referring to nurses just out of college with no experience? that's an interesting question. i'll see if i can find out...

                          or perhaps it's an lpn vs rn thing?

                          a related note:

                          http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/s...26/story6.html

                          i've heard the management doesn't treat its staff particularly well....
                          Last edited by shaveice; August 18, 2005, 07:51 AM.
                          525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes - how do you measure, measure a year?

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                          • #14
                            Re: Rating, please! Kapi`olani Medical Center...

                            Mahalo for all the feedback on KMC. My curiosity about KMC since Kapi`olani established it in (correction) 1890, is satisfied.

                            `Aue! Scared me! All the advice was making me feel like I'm pregnant!
                            ~'Ailina

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                            • #15
                              Re: Rating, please! Kapi`olani Medical Center...

                              Originally posted by Kilinahe
                              I meant that nurses in general are underpaid and Kapiolani nurses are so grumpy one can see that they must be paid badly.

                              I full-heartedly agree that nurses are underpaid and overworked. There aren't enough of them, so they end up taking on additional burdens which make what they earn actually LESS than what they deserve. I see it all the time at the three hospitals where I work. The downside to less nurses? Less talented ones stay on because hospitals need the people and can't find better ones, and in addition, nurses are afraid to complain about "bad nurses" they see making bad mistakes because they don't want to lose their jobs, can't take on additional responsibilties if the nurses are fired, or are afraid to deal with lawsuits indirectly if the patient's family finds out.

                              Sorry, straying off topic though...I've heard that post-op care at Kap is not the best from insiders at the hospitals themselves and there is better care to be had elsewhere. As usual, there are great gems of nurses at every hospital, though, so it almost is a case of luck as to whic nurse gets assigned to your care...

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