Community Surgery Center North

I had surgery here on December 17, 2025 (right breast implant replacement due to rupture and a left breast lift). While the procedure itself was safe and several nurses were kind, my overnight post-operative experience was uncomfortable and poorly planned. I was ordered to stay overnight for observation, but was placed back into a pre-op room rather than a recovery area due to facility issues with the heat. I was repeatedly reminded that patients “don’t usually stay” there, which made me feel like an inconvenience rather than a patient receiving appropriate care. The room had no private bathroom, requiring assisted walks to a shared public restroom while I was post-op, medicated, nauseated, and in pain. After fasting for more than 15 hours and experiencing nausea, I was told food was not typically provided and was advised to use DoorDash or have someone bring food, which felt inappropriate for a patient under medical care. Discharge communication was excessive and anxiety-provoking. Even after acknowledging the discharge time multiple times, I was repeatedly reminded, and when I calmly asked why the information was being repeated, this was later mischaracterized as me being "angry." I believe healthcare staff should use more accurate, objective language when describing patients, as emotionally loaded descriptors can affect how care is delivered. While I understand that Community Surgery Center North routinely provides appropriate post-operative care in its recovery rooms, the unavailability of those rooms due to heating issues exposed a lack of contingency planning for patients who still required overnight observation. In such circumstances, an appropriate alternative placement should be available so that patients do not feel displaced or treated as an exception. While I was medically stable, the overall experience left me feeling like a burden rather than a patient whose ordered care was anticipated and supported. If overnight observation is accepted and billed for, the facility should have reliable backup plans to ensure continuity of appropriate recovery care, access to food, consistent communication, and preservation of patient dignity.

First, my surgeon was amazing. This is not a reflection of her. I went in for an operation in July. When the anesthesiologist came to talk to me, he did not give the full details of my procedure. I was never informed that I would be intubated throughout my procedure. When I woke up, I was injured. I had a missing tooth and bruises spread across my eyes, face, neck, and collar bone. When I called the surgery center to make a claim, I was told that I could not. Then, I received a message saying my claim was denied. When I questioned this after being told I couldn’t make a claim, I was told that my concern was pushed to management without anyone getting the details from me. After some time, the manager of the surgery center called me to discuss my concern and brought it to the grievance committee. After the committee met, he called me to say they would not cover the cost of my broken tooth. When I complained about lack of informed consent, not knowing that I would be intubated, I was told that the anesthesiologist was a good guy who had been there for years and I should have asked if I was going to be intubated. I was also told that my chart noted a rash on my face when in reality, I had bad bruising. There was no answer to that. The blame was put on me for this situation. A patient going into surgery should be fully informed on what is happening to them, which did not happen in this case. There was a huge lack of informed consent and communication.

Wonderful surgeon Dr. Wagner. Quickly processed in at surgery time. Recovery RN good. Surgical wound non-painful. However, anesthesiologist caused 2 days severe throat swelling & pain; could barely swallow water & encouraged by relative to keep drinking full glass because very small pain pill stuck in throat & would not go down swollen throat! Suture removal near eye by P.A. quite surprisingly painful so I yelled! [Great surgeon. Great recovery RN. However, I would have surgery again only on a day that particular anesthesiologist is not scheduled!]

Everyone here was wonderful. They took amazing care of me. My nurses Brandy and Ashley were amazing!!

On 6/6/2024, Dr. Volkel and her surgical staff did an excellent job of prepping me for my hysterectomy and communicating what to expect during and after my procedure. They even got me in early and the procedure was a success. However, the evening nursing staff were in too much of a rush to get me out of there. My husband told me that while I was in recovery, still heavily under the influence of the anesthesia, couldn't stay awake, nauseous, and needed an oxygen mask because my oxygen had dropped, one the nurses was pushing to make me leave because it was "my time to go". When my husband told her that I was in no condition to leave and wanted to speak to a patient advocate, the nurse finally backed down. When I finally woke up and it was time to go, the night nurse was helping me get dress because I was still weak and a little out of it. My husband had to remind her to remove my IV. She told us she would take it out last in case it hurts or gets messy (didn't make sense to me since most nurses remove bandages and IVs at the time they give you your release papers). After rushing my husband to go get the car, did she remember to take it out? ...Sadly no. The tech who wheeled me downstairs (and also makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches I've ever tasted) noticed the IV still sticking out of my arm as she was helping me get into my car. My husband was livid. The tech (who told me she's studying to be a nurse) had to run back upstairs to get supplies so she could safely remove it. Next time, instead of rushing patients out the door, the nursing staff should take their time and make sure that each patient is being cared for properly. Best of luck to the tech on her exams. She's going to be an excellent nurse some day.