Bear Valley Community Hospital, Big Bear Lake CA

My sister suffered a horrible snow sled accident on New Year’s Day. She lost control of the sled and crashed into a tree log. Unfortunately, that tree log had a piece of sharp wood sticking out and it pierced her upper thigh. She was transported up to Bear Valley Hospital where the medical staff was phenomenal and extremely fast. They quickly got her on antibiotics and pain medication. The staff explained everything that was gonna happen and the options she had because of the severity of her wound. After 3 hours of observation and running tests, they informed me that the wound required surgery at a Level 1 Trauma center immediately, and that unfortunately they were not equipped to deal with her type of accident. I understood and thanked them for what they were doing. The medical staff was so helpful, they set up medical transport to Riverside Community Hospital and by midnight we were off. I don’t recall the nurses or the doctors names but if you see this, A MILLION THANK YOU’S! You saved her life. God continue blessing you and your hospital.

Called 3 times and they refused to reference me to a "real" doctor. They tried getting me an appointment at the dentist? I called for a check up and asked for an appointment and they told me to go to the dentist? I didn't say anything even close to teeth. If I needed teeth I wouldve called rural. The staff never pick up phones, and they put you on hold forever when they do answer. I just need help, im seeking help but they refuse. Now I have to travel unnecessarily far to seek the help I need. Not everyone can just up and leave, not everyone has the advantage of knowing the staff and them getting in swifter for an appointment.it's unfair and I truly hate this hospital.shame on this hospital, since I was a child iv seen them refuse to do their own job.if you hate it, leave.simple.people need help.please help them.it isn't a hospital for no reason.

Came down with a serious case of food poisoning while on vacation. Became so dehydrated I couldn’t walk. The paramedics, nurses, doctors and ancillary staff were beyond fantastic. Thank you for your exemplary care!

When I arrived I immediately told the hospital that I have a severe penicillin allergy and requested a PCN band which is standard for severe penicillin allergies. They never put one on me and the results that I received today show that they never even documented that I have a penicillin allergy. A penicillin allergy can cause anaphylactic reactions and immediate death without a tracheotomy. I have already had an anaphylactic reaction previously this is why I need a band urgently as soon as entering a hospital. 30 minutes after I arrived to the hospital a doctor who is an employee there came in with an urgent matter, they treated him immediately which I understood completely however after a certain time they were having personal conversations in the bed next to me and did not complete orders that I needed so I left. The emergency room administrator April was extremely obnoxious towards me when I spoke with her on the phone regarding this today rather than hearing me out and listening to my perspective she screams at me accused me of screaming at her accused me of not listening to her and then hung up on me. Once I finally received the results of my test and it showed that my chart only documented an opioid allergy and not my penicillin allergy. I called back and she accuse me of being rude to her when she would not listen to the fact that it is a requirement in an emergency room to clearly document a patient having a penicillin allergy especially a patient who has a high risk of an anaphylactic reaction. I am finally complaint with my insurance with the state of California and with the California health department

Worse hospital experience I’ve ever had. I got into a car accident, my back and neck were in extreme pain. They only let me sit on a bed for like 20 minutes and then said I have to get up for another customer. I told the nurse I’m still in a lot of pain and still have not been told anything about my back or neck. All they did was give me a neck brace and send me out. Also the nurses were very insensitive and one repeatedly tell me “ stop crying about it”. When they sent me to the waiting room while I waited for my friends to be out. I heard one lady weeping in pain for a long time no one once checked up on her. Shame on you guys for the way you treat your patients! Why work a career to help people when you really don’t even care about helping people.

Huge shout out to Dr Steven Groke and the staff! While vacationing here 4th of July weekend our son got very sick, we took him to the emergency room at 10: 00 pm, the staff was very welcoming. We were made to wait outside in the car because of Covid protocol. We weren’t paying attention and ended up draining our battery in the car. When Dr Groke came out to give us our Covid positive result he asked if there was anything else he could do for us, we joking said “are you a mechanic because our car died while we were waiting. “ He said unfortunately no. But 5 minutes later he returned with the fire department who happened to be there. They used their truck to jump our car. So not only did they take care of our son, but they also fixed our car. So they truly are a full service hospital. Haha.

We are vacationing this week and we brought my daughter in for an excessive fever. The entire staff was kind, courteous and caring with myself and my daughter. The front desk staff was very helpful and pleasant. The nurses were so gentle and sweet to my daughter. The doctor answered all of our questions. The entire process was excellent and efficient. We were seen quickly. I was hesitant to bring her based on the reviews but I was very happy with our visit.

I would take most of these reviews and the rating scores with a grain of salt. People who place reviews on these sites are usual the ones not happy with the care level. The majority who have had good care usually don't place reviews. For example, two well respected hospitals in the Palm Springs area, Eisenhower Medical Center and Desert Regional Medicare center have ratings of 3.0 and 2.8 respectively. Don't make judgements on the use of this hospital or any others by the review scores.

Came here after dealing with sickness for 3 weeks and everyone on staff was extremely friendly, caring, and empathetic. They took great care of me and took every precaution to make sure i was in the best possible health. This was by far the best E. R.visit I've ever had in my life. Thank you to everyone there for making it an easy and rather enjoyable experience for the first time coming here.

I want thank the staff but especially nurse, Irina, for kind and compassionate care. She went above and beyond to make sure I was taken care of Thank you, thank you so much.

I brought my daughter in and the staff was wonderful. Thank you for the excellent care she received.

I arrived at the ER Jan. 1
Severe sepsis with shock, acute cardiovascular failure and respiratory failure. I was diagnosed with bacterial, lobar and covid -19 pneumonia with hypoxemia. Due to their expertise and quick medical decisions, I am a survivor because of the doctors and staff. I am grateful for the professional care I received. Thank you!
I was released Jan 7 and have been receiving care from my team of
doctors at Eisenhower hospital.
The dr's here at Eisenhower are amazed with my recovery. I give 100% credit to Bear Valley Community Hospital.
THANK YOU BVCH and staff!

Unfortunately, this hospital has not always had the best reputation in my circle. I left big bear in 1987. When my mom went in on New Year’s Day, my number one goal was to get her transferred somewhere else. She wasn’t stable enough to move. She should not have survived that day. On top of the overwhelming numbers of patients they are seeing and the levels of critical patients, I was able to speak directly to the nurse and the doctor. Despite their overwhelmed load, they took the time to talk to me and to reassure me that they would do what they could. In addition, I have worked with medical personnel through the years and know that sometimes doctors have a reputation for not listening to nurses. The ER doctor did listen to the nurse… One in particular listened when the nurse said please don’t intubate her yet. Let’s try the BIPAP. He listened, my mom didn’t fight it, and she’s here to talk about it. Was I happy to hear that she wasn’t even on a hospital bed at first… Nope. Was I happy to hear that she was in a tent… Nope. But, they are doing the best they can in this terrible crisis that are nation is facing. It does sadden me to see the negative reviews on here from the same time she was in there… knowing full well the staff there was doing everything they possibly could but were inundated and unable to provide the care they’d like to. I wish I knew the names of the people I spoke to… I could guess one of them was Dr Erkhart? !? That’s what I wrote down in my notes anyway. I feel bad I don’t have the names of the nurses and the people who answered the phone. Thank you bear Valley community hospital for changing my mind about what I’ve heard through the years… Thank you for caring for my mom and doing everything you possibly could to save her life! I am so thankful to all of you.

Useless, you go in for one thing and they automatically waste time by talking about things irrelevant to the visit. Stop acting like you know more than you do.

Been here for more than 4 hours, and I seen 5 other patients come and go.my child has autism and she is in pain and needs stitches, she is being a good girl, but I know the meltdown is coming. I ask the nurse politely 3 hours ago, about how much longer do we have to wait and she responded that we will still have to wait in the hall way after they call us. Don’t know what to do and my baby girl is in pain, I wonder if it’s because we have medi cal. Must be cuz new patients are coming and going and we still seating hear.from the looks of my baby girl the meltdown is coming. She has been so patient till now.

I spent 12 hours in the ER in October with COVID. It was the worst hospital experience ever. They told me they didn't have any pillows or blankets, I was given cold bath blankets. I was shoved into a tiny white tent and I was on a gurney for 12 hours in one position bc it would only fit in one direction. I didn't have a call light so I had to yell when I needed something.it was a complete nightmare. There were NO windows in the tent either, so I didn't see anyone or anything except when they came in.for 12 HOURS! I pray I never have to go back there.

The one superstar in the whole experience was Laura in the Respiratory Dept. She sent me home with a loaner oxygen concentrator and worked for 2 weeks to get my insurance to cover oxygen and get a concentrator delivered to my home. She was polite, professional and never once dropped the ball. Oh, if the ER could just take some lessons from Laura!

Avoid this faciliy! Poor quality of care and they overcharge! My son was a camp counselor in the area and the nurse at the camp could not give him antibiotics for a truly horrible cough he had for almost 10 days. On his day off, he drove himself to the ER at this hosital. They left him in the car (which was fine given it is a pandemic), sent out a nurse to test him in the car for COVID and Strep (also fine). He waited 15 mins, came back out told him all was negative and he should take cough medicine. He had been doing that for 10 days and was getting worse and worse. Nurse wanted him on antibiotics. He asked and they said they couldn't give them. We are medical people ourselves and we NEVER want to give antibiotics unnecessarily, but when a cough is that bad and pt is feeling that sick and is going back to a camp w/o a doctor on staff you need to give need antibiotics. That said, we then received a bill from the provider's side for $2,308 TO BE SEEN IN HIS CAR AND SENT BACK W/O TREATMENT. And that did not include the ER charge, which was another $1,150. The best part tho, was that they justified that amount by billing it as a level V visit, which is akin to the most serious visit - usually reserved for heart attack, car accident, head trauma etc.where a pt is in very bad shape. My son had a cough - he drove himself there and back. Yes he felt lousy but he was not in immenent danger of dying. I am now in process of fighting these ridiculous charges for fraud due to overstating the seriousness of his condition and treatment. Next day the doctor actually showed up to work at camp (4 days earlier than expected). He immediately put my son on antibiotics and by the next morning he felt good, great a day later. Sometimes antibiotics are necessary - he likely had a viral infection that turned into bacterial.

It is likely hard to avoid this place as there is no urgent care in town, but may want to drive down the mountain to avoid this horrendous excuse for an ER.

Too much to say. Go to another hospital. They sent my dad home with a catheter, no instructions on how to drain it, no written diagnosis. Urine blockage and diverticulitis. Bacteria detected. Spot on the kidneys. White blood cell count high. They didn't give him intravenous antibiotics and keep him overnight, they sent him home with two antibiotic pills and said call your doctor in the morning. Told my mom to watch out for sepsis. I think he should be in the hospital with intravenous antibiotics because sepsis can take the turn for the worse very quickly.