El Campo Memorial Hospital in El Campo, TX

Pros

• Dr Belew and the surgical team and nurses were great.
• The young nurse was sweet, and Tom and Suzie were kind and attentive to questions.
• Dr Courtney Skow is awesome.
• The staff treated the patient with kindness, compassion, and gentleness.
• The doctors were professional and all nurses and employees were kind and respectful.
• The hospital is a small facility with good people.
• Nurses Alyssa, Eileen, and Katrina provided excellent care.
• The hospital administrator went above and beyond to make the stay pleasant.

Cons

• The reviewer waited two hours in the ER to be seen by a doctor who spent only about a minute, calling the service and doctors absolutely terrible.
• They found the ER staff rude and more interested in their paycheck than patient care.
• The EC care was described as minimal and downplaying the seriousness of injuries, later requiring orthopedic consultation.
• They alleged billing was confusing and fraudulent, with duplicate charges for a single morphine dose.
• They described the hospital as dirty, outdated, and poorly maintained, with bugs in the rooms.
• Communication was repeatedly poor, with test results not transmitted and staff unresponsive.
• Front desk staff were unprofessional, often distracted by their phones and failing to assist patients.
• Many reviewers called the hospital the worst option and urged others to seek care elsewhere.
• Nursing and maintenance issues were prominent, including unclean rooms and delays in pain management.
• Some doctors were described as rude or belittling to patients and families.

Review

El Campo Memorial Hospital is best suited for families in or near El Campo who want local access to emergency and general hospital services, with the understanding that care quality can be uneven. The strongest value shows up when a capable clinician solo or a cohesive nursing staff is on shift, and when rapid transport to a higher-level center is available if needed. In the right moments, the hospital can deliver competent acute care and compassionate interaction, particularly in critical situations where a quick decision or transfer makes the difference.

Who should consider alternatives? Those who require consistently courteous bedside care, predictable wait times, and transparent billing should compare options. The Bay City facilities and other regional centers often deliver steadier service and clearer communication, which matters for families that cannot tolerate delays or ambiguous charges. For high-acuity, complex medical needs, a system with stronger transfer networks and standardized protocols is typically safer, since the local hospital frequently relies on external centers for definitive treatment.

On the upside, certain clinicians and units rise above the chaos. Several reviews praise specific physicians and surgical teams, with Dr. Belew and Dr. Courtney Skow singled out by name, along with attentive nurses who listen and explain. The ICU team can perform when called upon, and there are plausible instances where timely life-flight transport or focused procedural care made a life-saving difference. In those moments, the hospital demonstrates the capability to provide solid care and to support patients through procedures or post-op recovery.

The persistent downsides are the real deal for decision-making. Long ER waits - sometimes hours - paired with staff who come across as stressed or impersonal undermine trust at the point of need. The facility and housekeeping concerns recur in reviews, painting a picture of aging infrastructure with cleanliness and maintenance gaps. Billing emerges as a chronic pain point - delayed itemized statements, disputed charges, and allegations of overbilling - which can turn a medical event into a financial headache. Communication gaps - missed results, unreturned calls, and uneven handoffs - compound the risk of missteps when timing is critical.

From a practical standpoint, families should treat El Campo Memorial as a first-response option with a ready plan for escalation. If choosing this hospital, demand direct access to attentive clinicians, insist on itemized, timely billing, and confirm clear pathways to transfer to a regional center for imaging or specialty care that goes beyond local capabilities. For injuries or symptoms where precise diagnosis is essential, be prepared to seek alternatives or initiate a transfer rather than assuming local care will suffice. The positive experiences show care can be good when the right team is present; the challenge is ensuring those moments aren't the exception.

Bottom line: El Campo Memorial Hospital can meet basic local needs and offer competent care in select moments, but the breadth of weaknesses - delays in the ER, uneven bedside manners, maintenance and cleanliness concerns, and opaque billing - limits its reliability for high-stakes or ongoing medical needs. Families prioritizing proximity with a reasonable expectation for variability may find it workable, but those seeking consistently high standards of service, transparent charges, and a seamless care experience will likely fare better with alternatives in the region. When staying local, approach the hospital with a clear escalation plan and a readiness to pivot to a larger facility if the situation demands comprehensive, coordinated support.

Physicians

• Mid Coast Medical Clinic (0 miles)
• Gulf Coast Nephrology (0.1 miles)
• Dr. Melissa Kainer Erwin (0.1 miles)
• Robin Ferguson MD (12.8 miles)
• El Campo Memorial Hospial Medical Clinic (12.9 miles)
• Regent Family Practice (12.9 miles)
• Dr Nathan Nguyen - Regent Adult and Pediatric Clinic (12.9 miles)

Hospitals

• El Campo Memorial Hospital (0.1 miles)
• Gulf Coast Medical Center (12.9 miles)
• OakBend Medical Center - Wharton Hospital Campus (13 miles)

Places of Worship

• El Campo Mennonite Church (0.4 miles)
• United Praise & Worship Church (1.4 miles)
• Christ Lutheran Church (1.4 miles)
• Memorial Baptist Church (1.4 miles)
• Memorial El Campo (1.4 miles)
• First Baptist Church of El Campo (2 miles)
• Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church (2.3 miles)

Restaurants

• Burger King (0.5 miles)
• Chicken Express (0.5 miles)
• Uptown Grill (0.8 miles)
• Sonic Drive-In (1.1 miles)
• Golden Phoenix Chinese Restaurant (1.2 miles)
• Whataburger (1.4 miles)
• Emil's Place (1.7 miles)

Pharmacies

• El Campo Professional Pharmacy (1.2 miles)
• Walgreens (2 miles)
• South Texas Medical Clinics PA (12.8 miles)
• South Texas Pharmacy (12.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (13.9 miles)
• Affordable Pharmacy (14.1 miles)

Transportation

• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (1.8 miles)
• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (2 miles)
• Texas Trophy Taxidermy (2.4 miles)
• Bus Station (3.3 miles)
• Stuffing Critters Taxidermy (5.2 miles)
• Oa Enterprises (13.8 miles)

Theaters

• El Campo Theatre-Showplace III (1.8 miles)