Burgess Home Health/Hospice in Onawa, IA

Pros

• The staff provide outstanding patient care from the moment of arrival.
• They address concerns with thorough examinations.
• Their care feels like high-end spa service.
• Staff treat one another with kindness and respect, and strive to help each other excel.
• The ED staff deliver some of the best care patients have ever received.
• Tim in the PT department provides excellent care.
• The staff are very friendly, and the food is great.
• They take great care of patients during cardiology visits.

Cons

• One reviewer called it the worst place to go if you're in pain, saying they sat in a room for three hours in pain and never heard their test results because everyone was busy.
• A reviewer stated a staff member named Kristin provided horrible service and was among the worst healthcare workers they've seen, advising others not to go.
• Another reviewer described the place as a joke and not a real hospital, saying not to waste time there.
• A patient said they were turned away on a weekend and told they could see the doctor only if they paid in full despite having insurance, with no blood pressure check.
• They were refused care in the ER at night, told they would have to pay in full before seeing a doctor despite having insurance.
• A patient went to the ER for an asthma issue and felt staff relied on machines rather than listening, having to ask for steroids and vowing never to return.
• A reviewer observed a big difference in competency between day and night ER staff, describing the daytime experience as not good.

Review

This community is best suited for families seeking a locally anchored hospital experience with genuinely compassionate, patient-centered care. The clearest strength across reviews is the human side of service: staff who treat patients with warmth, conduct thorough examinations, and keep families informed with steady, respectful communication. For seniors and relatives who want a familiar, small-town campus where bedside attention and supportive teamwork are visible every day, Burgess Health Center delivers a meaningful sense of security. The alignment is strongest for those navigating routine care, rehabilitation, or hospice-related planning in a setting where caregivers cultivate a personal, ongoing relationship with both patient and family.

Those considering alternatives should note that not every experience aligns with the same level of immediacy or consistency, especially under pressure. A sizable portion of reviews flag long waits or gaps in responsiveness during peak times, plus reports of difficulty obtaining timely test results or care in the ER on weekends or at night when the system feels crowded. For families where rapid pain control, predictable triage, and unfaltering access regardless of time are non-negotiable, larger regional centers with reputations for throughput may be a more reliable fit. In short, those with high expectations for immediate, barrier-free access or who rely on insurance-driven allowances without friction may want to compare other options more closely.

The strongest pros - staff kindness, patient-focused attention, and the sense that care teams genuinely want patients to thrive - do offset some of the more frustrating realities, but not all. The positive experiences emphasize that highly attentive nurses and clinicians can deliver thorough evaluations and steady reassurance, even when systems are stressed. This interpersonal strength translates into meaningful benefits for families dealing with anxiety, acute symptoms, or the complexities of chronic illness. Yet the main cons - delays in pain management, variable day-versus-night performance, and occasional billing-front issues - temper trust and make predictability a real concern in urgent situations.

Practical evaluation guidance helps translate these strengths and weaknesses into a workable decision. Seek out a named care coordinator or patient advocate who can clarify plans, relay updates, and ensure families are not left in the dark. Inquire about typical wait times, weekend coverages, and the facility's approach to pain control and rapid test results. Have a candid discussion about billing practices, insurance requirements, and what is covered in emergencies to avoid surprise charges. If home health or hospice services are part of the plan, confirm visit frequencies, scope, and escalation pathways. A pre-visit tour focusing on ER, cardiology, and therapy areas can reveal how consistently staffing translates into timely care.

This campus is especially well-suited for seniors who value continuity of care and a supportive, family-like atmosphere. The care ethos resonates with relatives who want transparent, compassionate engagement and who are willing to navigate occasional bottlenecks with a trusted team at the center of their medical journey. For those who must rely on rapid, uniform access to diagnosis and treatment, or who cannot tolerate variability in daytime versus nighttime service, it pays to keep robust alternatives in mind. The core decision hinges on the balance between interpersonal care quality and operational consistency during peak demand.

The bottom-line recommendation is clear: Burgess Health Center represents a compelling option for families prioritizing warmth, thoroughness, and ongoing caregiver relationships, provided clear expectations are set and back-up plans are available. If the priority is human connection and personalized attention in a local setting, this campus earns serious consideration. If seamless, predictable access and uniformly rapid care are non-negotiable, pursue additional options and compare guarantees of service, wait times, and billing clarity before committing. In either path, establish a point person, demand a concrete care plan, and insist on timely communication as a condition of engagement.

Hospitals

• Burgess Health Center (0 miles)
• Burgess Memorial Hospital Heliport (0 miles)
• Burgess Family Clinic (7.5 miles)
• Memorial Community Hospital Corporation (18 miles)
• Tekamah Chiropractic Center (18.3 miles)
• Vision Care Clinic (18.7 miles)
• Burgess Health Center (18.8 miles)

Physicians

• Family Medicine Clinic PC (0 miles)
• Burgess Family Clinic (18.5 miles)
• Maple Valley Mercy Medical Clinic (18.8 miles)
• Horn Physicians Clinic (18.8 miles)
• Lyons Medical Clinic (20 miles)

Places of Worship

• Onawa United Methodist Church (0.2 miles)
• St John's Catholic Church (0.3 miles)
• Onawa Evangelical Church (0.3 miles)
• First Christian Church (0.3 miles)
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (0.4 miles)
• Community of Christ (0.4 miles)
• Onawa Bible Baptist Church (0.5 miles)

Parks

• Liberty Park (0.4 miles)
• Gaukel Park (0.7 miles)
• Onawa City Park (0.8 miles)
• Lewis & Clark State Park (3.2 miles)
• Campground Playground (5.7 miles)
• Whiting City Park (7.3 miles)
• Pelican Point State Recreation Area (13.2 miles)

Theaters

• Iowa Theater (0.4 miles)

Restaurants

• Bamboo Village Chinese Cafe (0.5 miles)
• Tug's (0.7 miles)
• Michaels Dairy & Pizza Inn (0.9 miles)
• Country Cafe (0.9 miles)
• Fiesta Brava (1 miles)
• Subway (1 miles)
• El Jimador Onawa (1 miles)

Pharmacies

• Stangel Compounding (0.5 miles)
• Whiting Family Pharmacy (7.4 miles)
• Western Iowa Compounding (18.8 miles)
• Maier Family Pharmacy (18.8 miles)

Cafes

• Millers' Kitchen (0.5 miles)
• Francine's Cafe (0.5 miles)
• Onawa Cafe (0.6 miles)
• The Fence-Post (15.8 miles)
• Uncommon Grounds (15.8 miles)
• Gotta Get Some Coffee (18.5 miles)

Transportation

• Onawa Municipal Airport (0.8 miles)
• U-Haul (18.1 miles)