St Francis Medical Ctr in Monroe, LA

Pros

• The visit was wonderful, and the patient appreciated the help.
• The staff were helpful and kind, creating a great experience.
• The Kitty Degree Breast Center visits have always been pleasant, with friendly, professional care and timely appointments.
• The staff were courteous and efficient, with minimal wait times.
• The CT of the neck went seamlessly, and the staff were courteous and efficient.
• The wait times were reasonable, and the service was quick and courteous.
• The people at this office are consistently nice and professional.
• They would recommend this office with a five-star rating.
• Saint Francis has been great, with doctors and nurses who are professional and compassionate.
• The ED staff provided excellent care, with nurses delivering outstanding service.
• The doctors and nurses were nice and sweet, making the patient feel cared for.
• Everyone involved was outstanding, showing genuine interest and compassion.
• The CT technician's pleasant demeanor made the patient comfortable, and the process was quick.
• The MRI process went smoothly, with the staff being nice and professional.

Cons

• The reviewer described the visit as the worst experience they've ever had at a medical facility, with hours-long delays and no timely care during a crisis.
• They felt healthcare was not prioritized for them, being left in a hallway bed for hours while nothing happened.
• They believed lives were at risk due to the long wait times and multiple code blues and trauma alerts.
• They felt completely misunderstood by the staff, with their symptoms misattributed and no proper help given.
• They reported leaving the facility distressed and without answers after being told to go home.
• They noted that parking was a problem and that long waits were common in a crowded hospital.
• They experienced repeated delays in the ER, with moving between waiting rooms taking hours despite being the first patient in the room.

Review

St Francis Medical Center in Monroe is best suited for seniors and families who prioritize reliable emergency care, straightforward imaging, and a staff culture centered on friendliness, attentiveness, and practical compassion. The hospital's ED and imaging services repeatedly earn praise for courteous, professional treatment and for staff who explain what's happening and stay engaged with patients. For acute situations, and for those who value a hospital that feels responsive and human, St. Francis often delivers a reassuring, patient-first experience. It's particularly strong for those who value rapid access to CT and MRI, quick turnovers in certain outpatient encounters, and a coordinated feel between nurses, techs, and physicians.

Those considering alternatives should weigh two factors carefully. First, if minimizing wait times in the emergency department is non-negotiable, St. Francis may not consistently meet that ideal, especially during peak periods when patients with serious crises are in the queue and the throughput can stretch. Second, parking and administrative friction surface in some reviews, with occasional reports of long registration waits or moving between spaces in the system. For families that require ironclad predictability in wait times, or that need a setting with minimal administrative hassle, exploring other facilities or scheduling patterns may be worthwhile. A hospital that has heavy daytime demand can feel variable at times, and that reality shows up in patient experiences.

The strongest positives cluster around staff quality and procedural efficiency in imaging and acute care. Across multiple encounters, nurses, techs, and doctors are described as exceptionally caring, patient, and capable, with specific cases of one-stick IV success, clear patient education, and attentive follow-through. Outpatient imaging and labs are frequently highlighted as smooth, with technicians who set patients at ease and keep the process moving. Cardiac rehab and related services are cited as dependable strengths, underscoring the center's integrated approach to ongoing, non-emergency care. In short, when the patient is in the care of a responsive and empathetic team, the experience feels calm, dignified, and well-coordinated.

Yet the experience is not uniformly flawless. The main drawbacks center on variability in wait times and administrative bottlenecks. Several reviews recount prolonged ER visits, with patients waiting in hallways or multiple waiting rooms before being seen, and a few accounts describe delayed responses to urgent symptoms or medical crisis signals. There are also mentions of miscommunication in triage - where epilepsy history or presenting symptoms were not interpreted as expected - and occasional frustration with registration or navigation within the system. A parking challenge appears in one critique, illustrating how logistics can add stress in an already stressful moment. These issues don't negate the care quality, but they do dilute it for certain visits.

To maximize the likelihood of a positive outcome, approach St. Francis with clear expectations and proactive engagement. For emergencies, consider bringing a trusted family member to help advocate and ask for status updates, and request a point person (such as a nurse navigator or bedside liaison) who can keep families informed if wait times extend. For imaging or outpatient services, pre-registration where possible, and asking for direct updates on estimated timelines can reduce back-and-forth and confusion. If parking or campus logistics are a known irritant, plan a little extra time or seek alternative entrances and drop-off points when feasible. In all communications, insist on thorough explanations of tests, results, and next steps to avoid feeling rushed or misunderstood.

Overall, St Francis Medical Center stands out as a practical, capable choice for acute and imaging-based care with a consistently patient-centered ethos. It shines when the care team is at full tilt - courteous, competent, and attentive - delivering rapid, well-coordinated services that many families want when a loved one needs urgent attention. Pros outweigh cons for those who value compassionate bedside manner, reliable imaging, and a hospital culture that prioritizes clear communication. Those whose priorities include minimal wait times, unbroken administrative flow, or effortless parking every visit may want to compare alternatives or plan for potential variability in the experience.

Restaurants

• Chicken Salad Chick (0 miles)
• Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers (0.1 miles)
• Whataburger (0.2 miles)
• Catfish Charlie's (0.3 miles)
• Newks Express Cafe (0.3 miles)
• Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (0.8 miles)
• Catfish King Restaurant (0.8 miles)

Physicians

• Enterprise Associates Of Ne La - Wilson T Barham MD (0.1 miles)
• James Arthur Altick (0.1 miles)
• Read Eye Center (0.2 miles)
• The Eye Clinic of Monroe (0.4 miles)
• Northeast Imaging (0.4 miles)
• Oncology Associates Of (0.4 miles)
• Solecare (0.5 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.2 miles)
• Professional Care Pharmacy (0.2 miles)
• Super 1 Pharmacy & Optical Store (0.3 miles)
• Super 1 Foods (0.3 miles)
• Community Pharmacy (0.9 miles)
• Aron's Pharmacy (0.9 miles)
• Grifols (1.1 miles)

Cafes

• CC's Coffee House (0.3 miles)
• Starbucks (1.2 miles)
• Daily Press (3 miles)

Hospitals

• Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Louisiana (0.4 miles)
• St Francis Specialty Hospital (2.1 miles)
• St Francis Mdeical Center (2.1 miles)
• Ouachita Community Hospital (3.5 miles)

Places of Worship

• Forsythe Avenue Christ of Christ (0.9 miles)
• Zion Spring Baptist Church (1.3 miles)
• Progressive Baptist Church (1.4 miles)
• Christian Community Ministries (2 miles)
• St Matthews Church of Christ Holiness (2.1 miles)
• TheTable (2.9 miles)
• First United Methodist Church (3.4 miles)