Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas

I just delivered my baby 4 days ago, and my experience can be summed up as traumatic and disappointing. I was assigned a nurse who informed me she was a travel nurse, and had recently been assigned to Scripps. To be as transparent as possible, I let her know right when I got there that after my last birth experience, having pain management was my ONLY requirement. I was extremely flexible on everything else, but I wanted to manage my pain this time. Needless to say, this did NOT happen. I was not admitted right away (despite being in active labor and almost 41 weeks pregnant) and I was often left alone (they only seemed to care if I was sitting in bed on the monitors). I spent hours in horrendous labor, and was repeatedly told the anesthesiologist would be with me «soon»…only to panic by myself. The rapid contractions were so intense, I felt out of control. The anesthesiologist was not available (for hours??), and the promise to get me something else NEVER HAPPENED!!! I received my epidural when I was 8−9cm, and was told it may not help because my pain was so bad, and that I needed to come up with a «new plan». I cried. I banged my head against the wall. I screamed. I felt 100% completely let down and that no one was truly helping me, just judging me. The ONLY positive experience is when this nurse’s shift ended, and I received a new nurse who actually LISTENED and took care of me. She got me heat packs for my hips, rubbed my back when the contractions were close and intense, and just generally acted like the only professional in the room. She’s the reason I gave this experience 2 stars. From start to birth, I was in the labor room for 6 hours. A very fast labor, but more than enough time to do the 1 thing I requested in my birth plan. I made sure to leave the hospital the next day… and will never be back. I did think it was horrible, as well, that just hours after giving birth, I had someone in my recovery room with my bill. How can they tally a bill for a hospital stay that IS NOT OVER YET??? Honestly, leave me alone to bond with my baby (and process this awful experience), and send me a bill for your over-​priced services in the mail.

This hospital has the best ER in town. They’re fast and work friendly. The nurse NOEL G. Is amazing. I took my dad in and he was beyond believe. Definitely the one and only hospital

Going to the ER is the worst! No one goes there willingly. You know that you’re in pain, you don’t feel well, you’re going to have to pay a ton of co-​insurance, and they’re gonna make you wait forever.
Unfortunately I went to the ER twice in a months time and both times I was surprised at how quickly I was brought back in to be checked out. Within less than five minutes of checking in with the front desk I was already in the side room getting my vitals taken.
The nurses and doctors were nice. Nothing amazing just your regular old expected professionalism and medical care. Overall the visit was three stars but I am going to give them five stars because of the fact that everything was quick. When you go to the ER you want immediate help The last thing you want to do is sit there and have no one pay attention to you for hours so that earns them five stars in my book. Keep taking patients in right away! That’s definitely best practice!
I was in and out of there in three hours the first time and in five hours the second time.

I went to this hospital with severe stomach pain and was treated right from the second I walked through the emergency room door. I was transported to a different room for a week to monitor my heart and all my vitals. Every nurse that tended to me was very kind made sure I was as comfortable as possible. I want to give a special thanks to Shannon, Celeste, and Cara for being such great nurses and making sure that I wasn’t in any pain at any time. I would recommend this hospital to anyone.

Not my idea of a holly jolly Christmas but I found myself at Urgent care on Christmas Eve. Due to my condition, they sent me to the ER at Scripps Encinitas and I ended up staying in the hospital for 2 days. I can’t say enough great things about this hospital or the entire staff. They made sure I was comfortable and checked in on me frequently to make sure I didn’t need anything. They were helpful, compassionate, humorous, highly skilled, and efficient. A heartfelt thanks to the amazing nurses on the second floor: Sara, Ashley, Kimberly, Christina, and Jolly for their awesomeness!

Traveling from out of State had to go to the ER Dr Accardi and the entire medical staff we’re AMAZING. Honestly the best experience I’ve ever had at an ER!

Would you eat at a three star restaurant if you had another choice? Then why choose three star health care?
I had no choice yesterday because I could not breathe. The ambulance does not take you where you want to go; you go to the nearest hospital.
The big selling factor in the new emergency facility is the pretty building and televisions in each cubicle, if you care about watching television when you are acutely ill.
They could not get me out of there faster. Delivered by ambulance, there was no one at the receiving station. The paramedic had to find someone to check me in. There was one other patient in the facility at noon on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
I was sent home dehydrated with undiagnosed pneumonia. I was refused hydration even though my potassium level was low. The red haired grouchy nurse who processed me out refused to give me a copy of my lab results to take to followup or to explain the medications. She rolled her eyes when I said I did not understand.
Thankfully my primary care physician is at UCSD and was able to see me today. I am diagnosed with pneumonia and dehydration.
What a disappointment to have a lovely facility in our community that gives below par care.

Tonight, my daughter-​in-​law who has Addison’s Disease complicated by adrenal pheochromocytoma tumor was taken to the ER due to problematic symptoms, including very elevated blood pressure, nausea, feeling faint, and numerous other symptoms. However, they are sending her home. If she is not feeling better tonight we may need to take her back to an ER Hospital that is more through. The hospital didn’t even draw blood tests or any other tests on her and though she presented her medical history to the nurse. Blood tests for her condition can be very revealing, not one drop of blood drawn. I called the nurse directly to offer my daughter-in-law’s history and she cut me off and said, don’t worry she received good care. Nurse, just because you use your most upbeat voice does not change the fact that the ER team did there jobs. My daughter-​in-​law did not receive «any» care. VERY VERY DISSATISFIED!
I was going to keep my personal experience that I had in May 2015. The ER team is not very thorough in their evaluations for me either. I received a huge bill for laying in the ER room with only a IV bag for dehydration. My complaints when I was taken into the ER was only after the fact that such a significantly severe headache, had chronically felt ill and because I had fallen to the floor and began to shake uncontrollably (never had this happened to me before). Two days later, still feeling very ill, I learned that I had an abscess that the ER doctor had missed. I’m not one to use the ER room unless I feel it is serious.
Again in September, a few months later, a second ER visit was only because my primary care physician called in to have me admitted to the hospital for a bad colon abscess. This time my white blood cells were 17,000 and even with the doctor calling ahead to have me admitted, I had to go through ER facilities where I had to wait for 4 hours in the waiting room while I sat there in excruciating pain. And, that was with my primary doctor calling in with her concern for me.
In mid-​September 2015. I was admitted for a five day stay on IV antibiotic drip for an abscessed colon. I was released after 5 days and I left the hospital with my abdominal area swollen and still in pain. The hospital advised me to follow up with a specialist who further determined that I needed surgery. My surgeon had me admitted to Scripps Memorial in La Jolla where I had a successful surgery to remove my colon.
My combined experiences and now with my daughter-​in-​law, though I only live 3 miles from the hospital will not use their services.
For clarity, my complaint is about the Emergency Room Services.
Update: My son took my daughter-​in-​law to UCSD Hospital where she was evaluated properly by caring doctors and nurses and she has been admitted into the hospital.

THANK THE STARS, their Emergency Room location and overall service has increased tenfold over the years to a point where I gladly (though mostly under unfortunate circumstances) make the drive from Oceanside/​Vista area down to Encinitas. I’ve been very pleased with the care provided by both front desk staff and the nurses and doctors whom have assisted to my ailments, my kid’s ailments, and whoever else I’ve carted down here’s ailments. The waiting room of this ER is clean, doesn’t make you feel any worse than you need to be in an ER situation. I like the table housing the infused water, three cheers for tasty hydration.
Now at this juncture in my life I have birthed two children here. THANK THE STARS once again Scripps Encinitas has made significant changes to their birthing/​maternity ward! When before you had to get lucky to get a room of your own post-​partum, every mother is now guaranteed her own private room; how cool! My first stay here after having my son in 2010 I had to split quite a small space with a mom who had had a C-​section; both her and her bundle of joy cried all day and all night, thus keeping me and my new tiny human awake and in tears of exhaustion. Second baby-​around, my 2015 girl, we were pleased to enjoy the silence (Depeche Mode pun if you please) and private bathroom!
Overall staff assessment warrants 4 stars as I think the doctors can lack some serious human warmth but their nurses make up for the callousness with such great attitudes and empathy! Even on the administrative end, employees have been kind and helpful.
Lastly, I’ve eaten enough food at this hospital between my stays after two babies and the time my husband had spinal surgery and I lived with his bedside for days to say that it’s actually NOT the worst hospital food I’ve ever had!

Amazing! Yesterday I had outpatient surgery at Scripps, and from the moment I arrived and was escorted to the waiting area, I had top notch care. The pre-​op nurses were amazing (Thanks Erin and Eileen) the anesthesiologist, superb, and the OR nurses amazing. The entire experience was far better than expected. The discharge nurse was friendly and reassuring. I highly recommend Scripps Memorial Encinitas.
Thanks for excellent care, before and after surgery!

Our mother died at the hospital Tuesday night. Yes, this is a good review.
She had many complicated conditions with which to contend. We knew she was highly compromised prior to her arrival. and everyone there from the ER staff to the Hospice Care staff to the nurse who attended her for most of the three days we waited and watched with her were all superb, understanding… the best experience our family could imagine. A special shout out to Jillian Schneider, our nurse. She is professional, caring, understanding, efficient. I can’t think of enough great things to say about her.

As to not have my review taken down at the request of Scripps or Unilocal themselves, I will be brief.
I’m sure there are many things that I will add to my survey list, some good, some not very good at all. Currently in recovery room from a major neck surgery.
Waking up from surgery I remember the pain & discomfort from being tossed as if I were a rag doll from the surgery table to the gurney table. It was far too rough and painful.
After waiting 40 + minutes (at midnight on a Wednesday) for transport to move me into my room, I arrived and learned of my head RN’s name.
This person is to care for me for the next 7+ hours. However well she knows her responsibilities, she exhibited zero bed-​side manners. In her caring for me, she is more focused on her protocol than in the person, the human, the me she is treating. (I have made note of specifics.). Shame in her and shame on Scripps for hiring such a cold person.

My experience at Scripps Memorial was amazing. The staff took such good care of me and I felt like I was checking into a 5 star hotel. They made me feel so comfy. My room was spotless and my nurse, Robin was professional, efficient and friendly. The doctor was spot on with his diagnosis and the pain has disappeared completely. I would definitely go there anytime I have a medical emergency. The paramedics were quick to respond and calmed me down so easily.
Scripps Memorial is definitely a top-​notch hospital in my honest opinion.

If it were possible to give them 0 stars I would. I can honestly say this is the worst hospital I have even been to hands down. I will do anything possible in the future to avoid going here.
I took my 14 month old son to the ER at about 2 am with a fever of 105. We waited over 2.5 hours before he was taken back to be seen by a DR and a nurse. They did absolutely nothing for my child other than give him a dose of Motrin. The dr actually stated that it could be the flu but it also may not be, spent all of 3 minutes with my son, wrote my son a prescription for a flu medication and we did not see him again. He never checked anything on my son other than listened to his heart/​lungs. The nurse insisted on taking his vitals once again before we left, after my son had been crying and upset. His heart rate was elevated… no surprise to me, he was crying, had a fever and hadn’t slept much all night. She then told us we could not go until it came down. My son was very upset with the heart rate monitor and kept pulling it off. I asked her to please find a different way to monitor it because obviously that wasn’t working. She stated there was nothing else they could do… finally an hour later my son fell asleep and not surprising his heart rate was perfectly normal and we left. Fast forward 3 more days of my son fussing and running a fever and his pediatrician diagnosed him with an ear infection (his ears were never even checked by the dr in the ER) Gave us some meds and he was good to go. I never filled the 1^st prescription from the ER dr as I do not believe in giving my child medication for something they «might» have. They also spelled my son’s name incorrectly even though they had his insurance card with the correct spelling and to top it all off after speaking to a woman in the billing department o learned that they listed him as a 14 month old female. Just one more example of the lack of care and attention to details.
I have now received an outrageous bill to which they are not willing to work with me on since I have insurance. I am beyond disappointed and have told everyone I know to avoid this place at all costs. If you are hoping for good service the emergency room here is not the place to go!

If I could give them 0 stars I would! My fiancées surf board fin sliced his skull and he was bleeding pretty bad so this place is the closest hospital. The woman at the desk said ok, go sit and we will get you registered. Didn’t even offer any ice or gauze. So I had to ask for it! On top of that the nurse who gave me gauze did not have gloves on. Apparently bleeding from the head is no big deal here. Absolutely appalled by the level of service and lack there of! If you are injured and in Encinitas — avoid this hospital !!

My L&D experience was fantastic… all three times. Dr. Biter, Dr. Capetanakis, and Anna Pierpan (CNM) delivered each child, and all three were AWESOME. All three babies were delivered naturally, and they were extremely calm, patient, and supportive. The L&D staff were great as well. I felt like I was in great hands during my stays.
The hospitalist staff at Encinitas along with their Care Management Team are phenomenal. I’ve worked at several hospitals already, and I think patients at Encinitas don’t realize how lucky they are to have such a cohesive team provide such a thorough service to them. They are with you every step of the way during your stay, and they guide you through every stage of your visit, including AFTER discharge, if need be. Again, most people do not realize how lucky they are to have such a great team working with them (and with each other).
While no hospital is perfect, I think Encinitas does a great job with the resources it has. It’s a small hospital (and quite honestly, I prefer small hospitals over big ones), and I think it maximizes its resources very well. Besides, not very many hospitals are also within walking distance of great options for families to enjoy food at/​from (as an alternative to the hospital cafeteria). Thus, I gave it 5 stars.

Birth Pavilion Review:
I’ve given birth here twice and both experiences were absolutely amazing!!! There is no other place i’d rather deliver at than here! All nurses/​doctors i’ve had interaction with have exceeded my expectations. They go out of their way to ensure labor, delivery, and recovery is smooth sailing! Both of my deliveries had minor complications, but with the excellent care I received it made everything seem not so scary. The nurses were very respectful of my wishes during both births and for postpartum care as well. The second time around I decided to encapsulate my placenta and they made sure to have all my paperwork filled out ahead of the delivery, so I could have uninterrupted time with my newborn. Another plus… they now have private postpartum rooms upstairs!!! Hey girl heeeeeey! I love everything about this birth pavilion and the amazing team that runs it!

Took un unexpected trip to the ER this past Saturday morning. 1AM to be exact. My bonus son (my son’s friend who lives with us now that my son moved out) came to my room after midnight asking me to take him to the ER because he was so sick. Now if a 19 year old ASKS to go to the hospital you go. From experience from my son is that most teens refuse to go to the doctors for anything. So if they ask they are pretty sick.
We arrive and there is no one at front desk. Waiting room is full. Wait for around 10 minutes to check in. I’m assuming there must have been an ambulance or something that arrived that needed everyone’s attention. So Sam finally gets to triage and the nurse takes down his stats/​ailments etc and informs us there has been a 3 hours wait most of the night UGH. Well I’m sure this is probably true of most ERs in San Diego so I can’t get really upset and hold it against them. But… if you have long waits can you at least have comfortable chairs in the ER? I wasn’t sick so I just had to suck it up but for what I could make around me most of the sick people waiting were extremely uncomfortable. Sitting in horrible chairs for 3 or more hours when you feel like crap. My butt was aching and numb at the same time. I can’t even imagine what it felt like for someone who wasn’t feeling their best.
I was awake the entire time and when Sam’s turn to be called in finally arrived we were the second to last people in the ER. When he was put in a room in the ER I noticed all the rooms were full. So they weren’t short handed just a busy night.
Sam was wheeled off to radiology and they gave him some fluids and some morphine (weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee). He was told they would have results probably 40 minutes later or so. Well 7AM rolls around (approx 3 hours later) and no results. I go and search someone out and it’s a ghost town. I see the majority of rooms are now empty. I start to feel like maybe they closed up shop. I finally see a nurse and she checks for us. Nothing. An hour later I ask again and there is an update but the doctor will be in to talk about it. Another 30 minutes or so the doctor comes in and said all tests were in a gray area and we need to meet with a surgeon. Once the surgeon comes in it rolls from there. At this point 8 hours after we first arrive Sam’s mother shows up and takes it from there.
Other than that the staff I did interact with was friendly, apologetic for the waits and helpful when I asked for water. (they brought me an entire meal and apple juice. Score) The techs that interacted with Sam were sympathetic and upbeat and did seem to cheer him up.
It’s been a while since I have had to visit an ER so all in all I think this was roughly a typical experience but I would have been a lot happier and more comfortable with a little more follow thru from the staff. I was sitting in a room with a 19 year old scared boy who was in pain and didn’t know what was going on. I don’t know how long he may have been over looked had he been there by himself.

Labor & Delivery Department:
I cannot say enough about how wonderful my birth experience was at Scripps Encinitas recently. I had a natural, drug free labor and birth and I was so concerned with this type of birth at a hospital. I had considered birthing center but ultimately went with the hospital because I really like my OB and he delivers at Scripps (Dr. Capetanakis). I’m so glad I did! The labor nurses were all amazing, supportive, and kept me focused on my birth plan. The post delivery nurses were also wonderful; very knowledgeable and helpful when asked. I absolutely will not think twice to deliver at Scripps Encinitas for our next child.
Thank you Dr. Cap, Lydia and Sara (labor nurses), and George and Marie (post delivery nurses)!!!

Doc, «Before your blood test you’ll need to fast for 12 hours and drink only water.»
«Does that include beer?»
«Water.»
“Does that include wine?”
«Water.»
“Does that include vodka? It looks like water.”
«Water.»
“Got it.“
So I kinda dreaded having to having to go back to a different medical facility but, after changing health insurance carriers, yet again, this year, I had no other choice. I first went to Scripps about five years ago and, in all fairness, they were doing some major construction/​renovations back then so it was difficult for me to review it.
The new (to me) facility? LOVE IT!!!
Went last week to see Dr. Michael Bannach, who was totally awesome and still is.
Drove into the Scripps facility off Rancho Santa Fe and was stoked to see that they have F R E E parking, and plenty of it! If you want valet parking it’s only $ 5. The covered parking facility is super clean, bright, and has clear signage on where to access the hospital.
Took the elevator up to the 2^nd floor medical offices and went check-​in area which is seriously immediately in front of the elevator. The medical receptionist was super nice and the staff were pleasant and smiling which made me feel even more welcome. The waiting area has decently comfortable chairs and had the Food Network on, yum! My wait to see Dr. Bannach was only 5 minutes so I couldn’t finish the segment on how to make spanakopita but, oh well!
His nurse practitioner was kind and totally knowledgeable. We even talked about our yoga and meditation practices while she was taking my blood pressure. How ironically COOL is that?!
My visit with the Doc for my check-​up was fast, efficient, and didn’t last forever, like I was dreading. It’s brilliant that they now have everything online so you can access your medical info from home too! Wham, bam, thank you mam, I was outta there in less than an hour, not the 90 minutes that I was expecting. This seriously is my favorite medical facility in the area!
Now, where’s my water???