St Luke's Regional Medical Ctr

Pros

• The staff was quick and efficient, and every single staff member was kind.
• Dr. Wood, Nurse Claire, and the rest of the team took good care of the baby.
• Care was described as aa++, and all staff were great; the nurses were wonderful.
• They saved the patient's life.
• The experience was absolutely pleasant, and everyone was super nice.
• The nurse Alyssa in labor and delivery was a saint and was completely honest and open about everything, making them feel like they were the only ones she was taking care of.
• The respiratory care department is really awesome.
• The staff on the 5th floor med/surg were exceptional and did an amazing job.

Cons

• St. Luke's failed a friend and her baby boy who was born sleeping.
• The hospital told her it was her fault, which was not true.
• Staff ignored the mother's wellbeing and focused on the baby.
• A nurse talked about other babies during labor, causing emotional distress.
• A nurse instructed not to push because the doctor wasn't there.
• The patient could not see her baby and was not elevated during delivery.
• The hospital billed $1,500 more for the stillborn birth than for a living birth.
• Billing provided inconsistent explanations and runaround, with months of delays and conflicting answers.
• A nurse displayed hostile and discriminatory behavior, including homophobic remarks.
• Allergies were ignored or confused by staff.
• HIPAA violations and mishandling of personal information were concerns.

Review

Across the set of accounts, St. Luke's UnityPoint Sioux City Hospital emerges as a place of two very different experiences. Some reviewers describe staff who were quick, kind, and deeply caring, while others recount episodes of poor communication, contested care decisions, and financial and privacy concerns that left them feeling devastated or frightened. Taken together, the reviews sketch a hospital that can feel like a lifeline in one moment and a source of trauma in the next, depending on who you encounter and what department you interact with.

Several positive threads run through the feedback. Families praise individual caregivers who stood out for their compassion and competence. One reviewer singled out Dr. Wood and Nurse Claire, along with the entire team, for taking great care of their child and being sincerely appreciative of the staff's kindness. Others describe "aa++" care across the board, with nurses described as wonderful and a person's own life saved by the hospital's intervention. Specific staff members - Alyssa in labor and delivery, Dr. Kasuske, and the NICU team - are highlighted as professional, honest, and supportive, providing reassurance and clear communication during what can be an overwhelming experience. The respiratory care department is also praised for its efforts and overall contribution, even if the unit is noted to be short-staffed and underrecognized. In sum, there are many warm stories of empathy, competence, and successful outcomes that stand in contrast to the more negative experiences.

On the other end of the spectrum, several reviews recount deeply painful encounters that left lasting harm. A prominent and heartbreaking theme is the experience surrounding a stillbirth. One reviewer claims that hospital staff failed a friend and her baby boy who was born asleep, focusing attention on the baby rather than the mother's health and wellbeing, and claims the staff told the mother it was her fault. The emotional impact is described in stark terms: the mother felt unheard, disbelieved, and dismissed at a moment when she needed validation and compassionate support. The same account notes a later billing dispute tied to this delivery and the sense that the hospital's care decisions and tone contributed to a cruel and twice-checked aftermath for the family.

That same account also reveals a broader critique of billing practices and transparency. The reviewer reports being charged $1,500 more for a stillborn delivery than for a living birth just two years earlier, even though the medical events differed in outcome. The delay in obtaining a clear explanation - from weeks to months - added to the distress, with a supervisor giving one explanation and a later contact giving another. The situation is described as a "slap in the face," especially since the stillbirth did not reflect the same physical delivery dynamics as a living birth, yet financial charges grew more complicated and opaque. The reviewer ultimately felt dismissed and discouraged from returning, painting a picture of a system where administrative tangles compound emotional pain.

Other families recount administrative frustration that compounds medical stress. A separate set of complaints focuses on food service and accessibility: ordering meals via an app feels like "a mystery game," with orders sometimes incomplete, items omitted, and mismatches between what the app limits and what staff enforce in the cafeteria. There are reports of wrong QR codes guiding the menu to the wrong destination and the belief that some processes are not aligned with patients' needs. These frustrations underscore a broader wish for consistency and clarity in daily, routine services that can affect a patient's sense of control during a hospital stay.

There are also concerns about care in other departments. An account from the ER and Behavioral Unit at the UnityPoint Sioux City Hospital describes a deeply upsetting experience: being abruptly removed from an ER room with no explanation, encountering hostile and discriminatory behavior from a nurse, and receiving inconsistent information about a wife's medical condition and release. The reviewer alleges privacy violations and questions the handling of personal and medical information, suggesting HIPAA breaches and a troubling pattern of dismissive care in the behavioral unit. The patient and spouse report feeling unsafe, unsupported, and disregarded during a vulnerable time, with ongoing anxiety about being held on a voluntary commitment and being denied transfer to another facility. Allergies were reportedly overlooked, adding another layer of risk and frustration at a moment when careful attention was essential.

Bridging these threads, some reviews return to the positive, noting that on balance there are many caring people and moments of outstanding service. The same hospital that can deliver compassionate, attentive care in maternity or NICU settings can also fall short in crisis situations or in how it handles difficult emotions, privacy, and financial accountability. A few reviewers contrast the excellent bedside care with the systemic or procedural problems that left them feeling overlooked, misinformed, or financially burdened after traumatic experiences. They call for better communication, more consistent adherence to patient needs, improved staff training in sensitive conversations, and greater transparency in billing and care decisions.

Taken together, the reviews portray a hospital capable of extraordinary compassion and professional care, alongside episodes that have caused profound harm and distress. The contrasts speak to the complexity of hospital life: moments of grace and competence often exist side by side with gaps in communication, privacy, and administrative processes that can worsen patients' pain during times of vulnerability. For families seeking care, these accounts suggest a need for strong advocates, clearer information at every stage, and a culture that consistently centers mother and child, family privacy, and emotional wellbeing as equal priorities with medical outcomes.

This area of Sioux City, Iowa, offers a convenient and healthcare-focused environment for senior living. With multiple physician offices and hospitals within walking distance, residents have easy access to medical care. The diverse range of restaurants and cafes provide plenty of dining options, while nearby pharmacies ensure medication needs are met. Transportation services like Siouxland Taxi & Limousine Service are available for getting around the city. For leisure activities, there are theaters like Pirate Cove Theatre and parks like Scenic Park Playground nearby. Overall, this area provides a well-rounded and accessible community for seniors looking to settle in Sioux City.

Physicians

• Siouxland Surgical Care (0 miles)
• Cardiovascular Associates (0.1 miles)
• Siouxland OBGYN (0.1 miles)
• Tri-State Specialists (0.1 miles)
• David V Wagner (0.1 miles)
• Physician Center 2 (0.1 miles)
• Siouxland Medical Education Foundation (0.2 miles)

Hospitals

• St Luke's Labor And Delivery (0 miles)
• St Luke's College - UnityPoint Health Library (0.1 miles)
• St Luke's Regional Medical Center (0.1 miles)
• Northwest Iowa Hospital Corporation (0.1 miles)
• Pierce Street Same Day Surgery (0.1 miles)
• Indian Hills Nursing & Rehab (1.4 miles)
• Mercy Medical Center-Sioux City (1.7 miles)

Places of Worship

• Blessed Sacrament Church (0.3 miles)
• The Of Church Of Christ Latter-Day St (0.3 miles)
• St Thomas Orthodox Church (1.2 miles)
• Cathedral of the Epiphany (1.3 miles)
• St Boniface Church (1.4 miles)
• Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (1.7 miles)
• Augustana Lutheran Church Elca (1.7 miles)

Restaurants

• Jimmy John's (0.6 miles)
• Culver's (0.6 miles)
• Minervas Food & Cocktails (0.7 miles)
• McDonald's (0.7 miles)
• Antojitos Cuahutemoc (0.7 miles)
• Taco Bell (0.9 miles)
• Koi Sushi And Steakhou (0.9 miles)

Cafes

• Pierce Street Coffee Works (0.6 miles)
• Jitters (1.9 miles)
• Scotters Coffee (2 miles)

Pharmacies

• Shopko Pharmacy (0.7 miles)
• Walgreens (0.8 miles)
• Thompson Dean Drug (1.3 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (1.8 miles)
• Leeds Northside Pharmacy (2 miles)
• Greenville Pharmacy (2.6 miles)
• Greenville Pharmacy (2.8 miles)

Transportation

• Siouxland Taxi & Limousine Service (1.4 miles)
• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (2.8 miles)

Theaters

• Pirate Cove Theatre (1.4 miles)
• The Sioux City Orpheum (1.6 miles)
• Promenade Cinema 14 (1.8 miles)

Parks

• Scenic Park Playground (2.4 miles)
• Bacon Creek Park (3.8 miles)