Lake View Home

Pros

• The staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable.
• The process to order medical records online is clear and easy to follow.
• Dr. Richard Carroll demonstrated competent and compassionate care, making the patient feel seen and worthy of support.
• The facility is clean and the services are good.
• Amanda, the test and triage nurse, was amazing and extremely professional.
• The blood draw was one of the best.
• Great doctors and staff are very compassionate and competent.
• The ER staff triaged, saw, and treated in a timely, professional manner.

Cons

• Dr. Ringsred is described by patients as one of the worst doctors, accused of ignoring health concerns and missing a dangerous infection.
• Jill is described as extremely rude and unprofessional toward a caller seeking a test.
• Dr. Ringsred is accused of misdiagnosing a medical issue and telling the patient they had a miscarriage, causing unnecessary distress.
• A nurse in the ER is described as very rude to a parent with a 6-week-old baby.
• The ER is criticized for long wait times, claims of no staff available for procedures, and a dirty exam room with dried blood on sheets.
• Billing is labeled a nightmare, with complaints about rising insurance costs.
• Some reviewers say the ER used to be better but has deteriorated due to staff behavior, making the experience unbearable.

Review

Taken together, the experiences shared about care in this Two Harbors facility reveal a broad and nuanced portrait of a hospital system that can feel like two different places to patients: a place where compassionate, patient-centered care shines, and a place where frustrations - rushed interactions, long waits, miscommunications, or perceived indifference - leave lasting negative impressions. Across the different postings, one thread runs clearly through many of the positive notes: staff who are thoughtful, friendly, and proficient can make a significant difference in a patient's experience, even in challenging situations.

A standout positive theme centers on empathy, respect, and accessibility. One grandmother, Sharon Carlson, spoke with deep gratitude about her granddaughter's experience in the Walk-In clinic with Dr. Richard Carroll. She described a level of compassionate, competent care that she says she had never seen before from a physician, especially for a patient struggling with addiction who is often treated with contempt. The warmth and attentiveness extended by Dr. Carroll and the nursing staff made the grandmother feel that her granddaughter was truly seen and given what she needed on the path to sobriety. Carlson's message underscores a belief that the hospital's reputation benefits from physicians who practice with kindness and a patient-first mindset. Beyond this heartening account, other reviewers praised the facility's cleanliness, the clarity of the online records process, and the overall professionalism of staff. Several comments highlighted the ease of ordering medical records online and the general experience of being respected and understood by clinicians and nurses alike.

Cleanliness and clear communication also show up repeatedly as strengths. Several reviewers remarked on a clean facility and on staff who explained medical information in terms that patients could understand. The ER and other services were described as being efficient and well-organized at times, with patients noting timely triage and careful follow-up. A positive emphasis on interpersonal skill appears in multiple anecdotes: for example, a patient described the testing and triage process as handled with professionalism by Amanda, who was specifically singled out for her competence and conduct. The overall sense from these comments is that when staff members communicate well and treat patients with courtesy, patients walk away with a markedly different impression than when they encounter curt or rushed service.

Yet the profiles are not uniformly glowing. A number of reviews center on concerns about a particular physician, Dr. Ringsred, painting a starkly different picture. Several reviewers described him as uncaring or inattentive to a patient's health and well-being, with allegations that he sent someone to a psychiatrist instead of addressing ongoing physical health concerns and even missed an infection that could have become life-threatening. One post warned others to avoid him in the ER, describing a pattern of misdiagnosis and a lack of physical checks. The sentiment is passionately negative, with the language of "one of the worst doctors" and even "screw this hospital" attached to Dr. Ringsred in some accounts. Another patient recounted a very serious error - an assertion of a miscarriage that turned out to be a hemorrhage with the baby still alive - raising questions about diagnostic diligence and the potential consequences of a missed finding. Taken together, these reviews convey a troubling pattern for that clinician for some patients and families, contrasting sharply with the more favorable encounters described elsewhere.

In the same vein of mixed experiences, there are reports of real frustrations around wait times and the behavior of specific staff. One patient described waiting for hours in the ER and being told there was no staff available for a necessary procedure, with a room that did not reflect the care one would expect - dried blood on sheets and a generally messy environment. Another account described rude, unprofessional conduct by a staff member during a COVID-19 test inquiry, specifically naming a woman named Jill who appeared to dismiss a caller's situation and questions. The caller, who works in healthcare, noted that while they understood staffing pressures, the tone and manner of the interaction were not acceptable. By contrast, other patients highlighted the competency and professionalism of the frontline staff who conducted testing and triage, with particular praise for the attention given by the testing team and for positive experiences in the ER when handled by different caregivers.

Billing and system challenges also surface in the reviews, illustrating frustrations that extend beyond direct medical care. One post described a longstanding billing nightmare since December 2018, with frustration directed at Lake View and the perception that such billing complexities contribute to higher insurance costs for individuals and businesses. Another comment indicated a preference to seek care at Duluth rather than locally due to ongoing financial and administrative difficulties. These concerns emphasize that even when clinical care can be strong, the administrative and financial side of healthcare profoundly shapes a patient's overall experience and loyalty to a hospital.

A few personal health stories add further texture to the overall picture. A caregiver recounted bringing a six-week-old baby to care, only to encounter an admonition from a nurse that "6-week-old babies don't get sick," which the reviewer and many readers would understandably interpret as dismissive. The eventual discovery of RSV in the infant stands in contrast to that initial impression, illustrating how a single encounter can color a family's trust in a facility. Even within otherwise positive experiences, isolated moments of perceived insensitivity or miscommunication can leave a lasting impression of care quality being inconsistent.

In summary, the collection of reviews presents a hospital environment with both remarkable strengths and notable weaknesses. On the strength side, patients applaud compassionate clinicians like Dr. Carroll, the skill and kindness of the nursing staff, efficient processes for records requests, clean facilities, and clear explanations that help patients understand their care. There is also strong praise for certain ER staff members and for the thorough, respectful care provided by some teams during urgent visits. On the weakness side, several patients express concern about Dr. Ringsred's approach and diagnostic decisions, citing dangerous misdiagnoses and a lack of perceived empathy or attentiveness. There are also concerns about inconsistent behavior among other staff, long wait times, busy or tense interactions, and billing and administrative hurdles that contribute to negative overall experiences for some families.

Taken as a whole, these experiences suggest a hospital that can deliver exceptional, person-centered care under the right circumstances and with the right clinicians, while also highlighting the work still needed to ensure consistent communication, diagnostic accuracy, patient respect, and smooth administrative processes across all departments. For patients and families navigating care in this system, it's clear that individual provider choice, clear communication, and attentiveness to patient concerns make a substantial difference in how care is perceived and experienced.

Located in Two Harbors, Minnesota, this area offers a variety of amenities and services that would be beneficial for seniors. With Lake View Memorial Hospital and the Human Development Center nearby, medical care is easily accessible. The presence of pharmacies like Lake View Pharmacy and Essentia Health-Two Harbors Pharmacy ensures that medication needs are met conveniently. Residents can enjoy dining options such as Earthwood Inn, Restaurant & Bar and Lakeview Grill, as well as cafes like Judy's Cafe and Northshore Pizza and Coffee House. Places of worship, including First Baptist Church and Bethlehem Lutheran Church, provide spiritual support for those who seek it. Transportation options like U-Haul are available for convenience. Additionally, parks such as Odegard Park and Lakeview Park offer opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. With its range of services and facilities, this part of Two Harbors is a welcoming community for seniors looking to settle in a peaceful and convenient location.

Hospitals

• Lake View Memorial Hospital (0 miles)
• Human Development Center (0 miles)
• Lakeshore Lutheran Home (22.8 miles)

Physicians

• Two Harbors Outpatient-Clinic (0 miles)
• Vision Pro Optical - Two Harbors (0.7 miles)
• Maria Becker RN-Cosmetic Injection Specialist (24.2 miles)
• Duluth Surgical Suites (24.6 miles)
• UMD Health Services (24.7 miles)
• Vision Pro Optical - Duluth (Kenwood Rd) (25 miles)

Pharmacies

• Lake View Pharmacy (0.1 miles)
• Essentia Health-Two Harbors Pharmacy (0.4 miles)
• Super One Foods (0.7 miles)
• Super One Foods (21 miles)
• Essentia Health-Lakeside Pharmacy (22.1 miles)
• Falk's Pharmacies (22.2 miles)
• Super One Foods (25 miles)

Restaurants

• Earthwood Inn, Restaurant, & Bar (0.1 miles)
• Lakeview Grill (0.3 miles)
• Lou's Fish House (0.3 miles)
• Kamloops Restaurant at Superior Shores (0.3 miles)
• Black Woods Bar & Grill (0.4 miles)
• The Vanilla Bean Restaurant and Bar (0.5 miles)
• McQuade's Pub and Grill (0.8 miles)

Places of Worship

• First Baptist Church (0.3 miles)
• Living Waters Fellowship (0.3 miles)
• Seventh & Stone (0.5 miles)
• Jehovah's Witnesses (0.5 miles)
• Bethlehem Lutheran Church (0.5 miles)
• Emmanuel Lutheran Church (0.6 miles)
• United Church (0.6 miles)

Transportation

• U-Haul (0.3 miles)
• Two Harbors Depot (0.8 miles)
• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (0.8 miles)

Cafes

• Judy's Cafe (0.4 miles)
• Northshore Cafe & Shoppe (0.5 miles)
• Northshore Pizza and Coffee House (0.5 miles)
• Cedar Coffee Company (0.5 miles)
• Peet's Coffee and Tea (0.7 miles)
• Louise's Place (0.8 miles)
• The Big Dipper Ice Cream Shop (23.4 miles)

Parks

• Odegard Park (0.4 miles)
• Lakeview Park (0.6 miles)
• Thomas Owens Park (0.6 miles)
• Two Harbors Iron Ore Docks Park (0.9 miles)
• Silver Creek Cliff Wayside Park (4.5 miles)
• Split Rock Lighthouse State Park (18.4 miles)
• Morley Heights Park (23 miles)