Du Bois Regional Medical Ctr

Pros

• Nice people work there.
• The ER doctor and staff were professional and nice, and the patient was grateful for their care.
• The staff was friendly.
• In the ICU, the doctors, nurses, and staff were exceptionally helpful and courteous, consistently asking if anything was needed.
• The midwife Kristy and nurse Jantet were very helpful and encouraging, making the delivery experience the best.
• The nurses were exceptional.
• The patient felt supported and heard during her VBAC at Penn Highlands Dubois.

Cons

• The air quality in all buildings is toxic, with a strong call for a fragrance-free and chemical-free environment.
• Nurses are overworked and the billing department is terrible.
• The ER experience has been described as awful.
• Penn Highlands is accused of prioritizing payment over patient care, even in life-threatening situations like a brain aneurysm.
• Patients report long waits and a lack of urgency or follow-through.
• There are claims of neglect in the ICU, including bed sores and premature discharges.
• Some reviewers say the hospital should be shut down.
• Communication between doctors and families is horrible and often unhelpful.
• The dietary services are poor, with patients not being fed for days.

Review

There is a clear pattern in these accounts: a strong sense that Penn Highlands, across its various campuses, falls short in areas that patients and families deem essential to safe, compassionate, and respectful care. Recurrent themes include air quality and fragrance exposure that some patients feel are making them sick, questionable attention to medical needs in favor of administrative concerns, and a pervasive impression that the hospital's culture and operations undermine trust and safety. Several reviewers describe environments they say are not just unpleasant, but actively dangerous for certain people, especially those with sensitivities, chronic conditions, or urgent medical needs.

Air quality and fragrance-free concerns stand out as a persistent complaint. Several reviewers insist that the hospital environments are filled with fragrances and chemicals that trigger serious reactions or make people feel ill. They call for a fragrance-free, chemical-free environment and describe the inhaled air as a hazard for families and patients who want nothing more than to be with their loved ones in a safe, clean space. This theme recurs enough to feel like a core grievance for many who may be sensitive to odors or chemical exposures, particularly in indoor settings like hospitals where vulnerable patients spend extended periods.

When it comes to medical treatment and the ER, the sentiment is mixed but often negative. A number of reviewers say care can feel slow, disorganized, or misaligned with urgent needs. Some endure hours waiting for tests or treatment, or feel that attention shifts away from the patient's medical condition to administrative or billing concerns. Several recount harrowing experiences with life-threatening conditions where they felt the focus should have been entirely on stabilization and diagnosis, yet they perceived a priority on payment or paperwork. There are also stories of delayed or unclear communication from doctors and hospital staff, contributing to a sense of frustration, confusion, and even fear during emergencies.

Billing and financial processes appear to color experiences in a troubling way for many. Several reviewers argue that billing concerns intrude on actual care, and some recount being asked to authorize or pay for tests they feel were essential to managing their medical crises. One particularly striking claim is that payment questions overshadowed medical urgency in the moment of acute need. This sense of competing priorities - care versus cost - creates a recurring impression that financial considerations can derail timely, life-saving treatment, or at least overshadow it in the patient's lived experience.

Nursing and staff performance form a broad spectrum of opinions. Many accounts describe overworked, stressed, and briefly attentive staff who appear unable to meet demand, leading to long waits and moments of perceived neglect. There are stories of bedsores in an ICU patient, of delays in routine caregiving tasks like showers, and of inconsistent communication, with some nurses described as kind, patient, and helpful, while others are cited as indifferent or even rude. A few reviewers highlight specific individuals who stood out for exceptional care, while others point to systemic issues - staffing shortages, high patient loads, and fragmented handoffs - that can undermine the quality of care and the sense of being looked after.

Despite the overall negative tenor, there are notable exceptions that offer a counterpoint: some reviewers praise particular care experiences and staff members. A mother who delivered a baby with a midwife named Kristy and a nurse named Jantet reports that their support and encouragement made the delivery experience "the best" and left her grateful for the care despite minor disappointments about restrictions on recording during labor. In another instance, a patient who spent time in the ICU and shared a room with a roommate says the doctors and nurses were exceptionally helpful and courteous, and the broader ICU team left a lasting impression of professionalism. A family recounts that their experiences with certain ER doctors and staff on a Sunday left them grateful for the correct diagnosis and professional conduct. These positive notes demonstrate that, within a hospital environment that many find troubling, there are moments of genuine competence, empathy, and effective care.

Family dynamics, communication, and transitions of care also feature prominently. Several reviews describe difficulty coordinating with doctors, social workers, and transfer teams, including miscommunications about when a patient will be discharged or where they have been transferred. Some families feel ignored or dismissed when questions arise about a loved one's status, leading to increased anxiety and frustration. There are tales of extended hospital stays with unclear or incomplete explanations, followed by frustration with the process of discharge planning and home care. In contrast, other accounts describe supportive interactions with staff who provided honest, thorough updates and clear explanations, underscoring how much the quality of communication can influence the overall patient experience.

Dietary and hospital routine issues round out the concerns. The quality and availability of dietary services are criticized by some reviewers, who report unsatisfying or inconsistent meals and even missed meals during important procedures around surgery. The sense that basic needs - especially nourishment - are not reliably met contributes to a broader perception of neglect and undermines faith in the hospital's ability to support healing. There are also comments about how hospital workflows and physician alignments, such as the need for multiple doctors' clearances before surgery, can complicate and delay care, leaving patients feeling adrift in a system that should be coordinating smoothly to support recovery.

Taken together, the narratives paint a challenging portrait of a hospital system that some patients feel fails to treat people as individuals with urgent needs, fears, and hopes for recovery. The strongest threads emphasize environmental concerns that affect wellbeing, the perceived misalignment between urgent medical needs and the priorities of care or billing, and the critical importance of clear, compassionate communication during some of the most vulnerable moments in a patient's life. Yet amid the distress, a subset of reviewers also highlights moments of exceptional care and genuine human kindness, revealing that experiences at Penn Highlands can vary widely by moment, location, and staff. For those weighing where to seek care, these stories underscore a clear message: air quality, timely and coordinated clinical care, respectful communication, and a health system that prioritizes patient needs - above all else - are the elements that matter most in shaping a patient's trust and sense of safety in hospital care.

This part of Du Bois, Pennsylvania offers a variety of convenient amenities for seniors looking to reside in the area. With several hospitals nearby, including DRMC Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment and Dubois Hospital, healthcare services are easily accessible. There are also numerous cafes, restaurants, and pharmacies within close proximity, providing plenty of options for dining and medication needs. In terms of spiritual fulfillment, there are several places of worship such as Dubois Church of Christ and Trinity United Methodist Church nearby. Additionally, for outdoor activities and relaxation, DuBois City Memorial Park is just a short distance away. Overall, this neighborhood provides a well-rounded community with essential services and recreational opportunities for seniors.

Hospitals

• DRMC Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment (0.2 miles)
• Drmc-e (0.5 miles)
• Drmc Perinatal Consultants (0.5 miles)
• DRMC Behavioral Health Center (0.7 miles)
• Dubois Hospital (1.8 miles)
• Women's Health Center Of Dubois (1.8 miles)
• Wound Center of DRMC (1.8 miles)

Cafes

• Gateway Cafe (0.4 miles)
• Soul Platter Cafe (1.1 miles)

Restaurants

• Warehouse Pub & Deli (0.5 miles)
• Subway (0.6 miles)
• McDonald's (0.7 miles)
• Long John Silver's (0.8 miles)
• A&W Restaurant (0.8 miles)
• Valley Dairy (0.8 miles)
• Ruby Tuesday (0.8 miles)

Physicians

• O'Bryon Eye Associates (0.5 miles)
• Obryan Eyes (0.5 miles)
• Clearfield Jefferson Head and Neck (0.5 miles)
• Dr Roscoe (0.5 miles)
• Drmc Opthalmology Service (0.5 miles)
• George M Fatula (0.5 miles)
• Dubois Dermatology & Cosmetics (0.7 miles)

Transportation

• Ryder (0.7 miles)
• The Auto Lender (1.4 miles)
• Animal & Habitat Artistry (6.1 miles)
• DuBois Regional Airport (9.2 miles)

Pharmacies

• Rite Aid (0.7 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (0.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.5 miles)
• Guardian Long Term Care Pharmacy (5.8 miles)
• McCabe's Drug Store (7.8 miles)

Places of Worship

• Dubois Church of Christ (0.9 miles)
• Trinity United Methodist Church (1.1 miles)
• Saint Peter's Ucc (1.2 miles)
• Holy Family (1.4 miles)
• St Catherine of Siena (1.6 miles)
• Nativity of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church (1.9 miles)
• Gateway Church of Christ (1.9 miles)

Parks

• DuBois City Memorial Park (1.2 miles)
• Renlow Park Authority (7.8 miles)
• Reynlow Park (8.9 miles)