Community Medical Ctr of W Il

Pros

• Dr Flacco is knowledgeable, and caring.
• Friendly, competent staff were extremely helpful.
• The doctors, nurses, CNAs and techs were outstanding.
• Dr Szudera was described as kind and the favorite ER doctor.
• Michelle the EMT was especially great.
• Nurses Nancy and Connie were amazing, keeping the atmosphere lighthearted and answering questions.
• Dr Carrier's medical care was described as exceptional.
• They would not hesitate to seek care at OSF Holy Family Medical Center in Monmouth again.

Cons

• The ER is described as having ongoing communication problems and rude, disrespectful staff.
• A parent was distressed when staff claimed no one had her daughter's name, causing unnecessary panic.
• A spouse was not allowed to speak with his hospitalized partner, only given updates.
• The ER is called a joke and accused of not caring about patients.
• Access to the ER is hampered by roads being blocked or not easily navigable.
• A patient left without answers after going in for breathing issues and back pain.
• A doctor was accused of accusing a patient of drug use and should be fired.
• The staff are described as incompetent, giving vague diagnoses and prescribing medications that don't help.
• A family claims negligence for a missed back fracture, with calls for an attorney.
• Parental medical decisions were overridden; parents could not see their child and there was poor communication.
• Wait times were long with no ETA, and some clinicians appeared distracted or unhelpful.
• The front desk was unmanned, leaving patients without assistance.
• A doctor minimized miscarriage symptoms, treating the situation as non-emergency.

Review

Emergency care at OSF Monmouth has left a wide swath of experiences in the memories of patients and families who walked through its doors. The reviews paint a broad picture: some days bring prompt, compassionate care from skilled doctors and attentive nurses, while other days are marred by miscommunication, long waits, and a sense that the system isn't consistently listening to patients and their families. Taken together, they reveal a department that can be a lifeline for many, yet is frequently faced with frustrations that compound real medical anxiety.

One thread that runs through several accounts is confusion and fear sparked by poor communication about where a patient actually is or how they are being cared for. A mother described her panic after her daughter came in with a flu-like illness: she called the ER line only to be told there was nobody there with her daughter's name. It took contacting an OSF on-call line in Galesburg to learn that her daughter was at Monmouth ER and had only recently left. The mother called this "infuriating" and "disrespectful" because the family was left frightened and in the dark. In other cases, families could not reach a patient at all; one reviewer asked to speak with her husband who was in the ER for hours, but the staff would only provide updates, not let her talk to him. The emotional cost of not being connected to a loved one during a medical crisis is a recurring complaint.

Communication, or the lack of satisfactory communication, also showed up in how patients felt about the care itself. Some reviews portrayed the ER as a place where information was given in vague terms, or where staff seemed overwhelmed and unable to offer straightforward answers. There were complaints about "extremely vague diagnoses" and a sense that doctors were more focused on quick fixes than on clear explanations. In several entries, the sentiment was that care appeared to revolve around prescriptions that did not resolve the problem, followed by a repetition of the same pattern with different medications. The frustration extended to logistical aspects as well: patients complained about entrances that were difficult to navigate, roadblocks to entry, and a front desk that sometimes felt unmanned or absent at critical moments.

The most troubling medical anecdotes involved what patients perceived as negligent or misleading care. One review described a father who sustained a serious fall and was told nothing was broken after an MRI and X-ray, only to later discover, via another MRI and a specialist, that his back was fractured. The sentiment was one of anger and fear - "How the hell do you miss that?!" - and a vow to pursue attorneys. Another family recounted a physician allegedly accusing a patient of drug use when treating back pain, a confrontation that left them believing the care staff was judgmental and inauthentic. There were also accounts of wards where parents felt unable to participate in decisions about their child's medical care, claiming that doctors overruled them and denied access to their child at critical times. Such experiences underscore a deep sense that patient advocacy and family involvement were not consistently honored in the ER.

Amid the negative, there were clearly bright spots - moments when care shone through. Some reviewers praised specific doctors and nurses for their kindness, competence, and bedside manner. Dr. Szudera was singled out for compassionate care during a miscarriage evaluation, with words like "Dr Szudera was by far my favorite ER doctor I have ever had" and nurses who were described as "amazing" and "super kind." Dr. Carrier also drew praise in other parts of the same network of reviews, with patients calling him an "exceptional" clinician and noting that he provided high-quality medical care, even as some expressed a desire to transfer care elsewhere due to inconsistencies in lab results and in-office communication. A few reviewers described the staff in affectionate terms as "friendly" and "competent," and one account called the team "a win-win" thanks to the care provided by Dr. Flacco and others.

Even within the negative experiences, there were moments of appreciation for parts of the hospital: EMTs who delivered life-saving care in urgent situations, gratitude for kindness from caregivers, and recognition that some patients received faster service or better communication on certain days. One reviewer described an ER visit where the team moved quickly to triage and treat a patient with chest pain, while another highlighted a positive ER experience for a baby with a rash that improved after decisive attention from the doctors. There were also remarks about the overall atmosphere and housekeeping, with some reports of good food options and clean facilities contributing to a more positive hospital experience.

In summary, the collective voice about OSF Monmouth's ER is mixed. The department is capable of delivering life-saving care with dedicated professionals who treat patients with empathy and competence, and there are clear moments when specific doctors, nurses, and EMTs made a meaningful difference. Yet a substantial number of reviews raise red flags about inconsistent communication, long and opaque wait times, frustrating gatekeeping around patient contact, and serious concerns about diagnostic accuracy and patient autonomy. The juxtaposition of praise for individual clinicians with criticisms of system-wide communication and coordination suggests a hospital that can excel in certain encounters but has ongoing, high-stakes opportunities to improve how it informs, involves, and supports patients and their families during emergencies.

This part of Monmouth, Illinois offers a variety of amenities and services that may be appealing to seniors looking for a comfortable and convenient living environment. With a hospital located right in the neighborhood, as well as several clinics and pharmacies nearby, residents have easy access to healthcare services. Additionally, there are plenty of dining options including fast food restaurants and sub shops for quick meals. The presence of multiple places of worship offers spiritual support and community engagement. For recreational activities, there are several parks within a short driving distance where seniors can enjoy nature and outdoor activities. Transportation options include a municipal airport for those who may need to travel and U-Haul services for any moving needs. Overall, this area provides a mix of essential services and recreational opportunities to support a fulfilling senior lifestyle.

Hospitals

• OSF Holy Family Medical Center (0 miles)

Physicians

• Osf Holy Family Clinics - Mukund Godbole MD (0.1 miles)
• Debra Katchen MD (1.7 miles)
• OSF Medical Group (13.1 miles)
• Bard Optical - Galesburg (14.6 miles)
• Prompt Care (14.7 miles)
• Galesburg Dermatology Center (15.3 miles)
• Heyde Eye Center (15.3 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (0.5 miles)
• Burger King (0.5 miles)
• Taco Bell (0.5 miles)
• Pizza Hut (0.6 miles)
• Arby's (0.6 miles)
• Charley's Grilled Subs (0.6 miles)
• Subway (0.6 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.6 miles)
• Axline's Pharmacy (0.8 miles)
• Axline's Pharmacy (13.1 miles)
• Walgreens (14.6 miles)
• Burgland Drug (14.6 miles)
• Brent Family Pharmacy (15.2 miles)

Places of Worship

• First Lutheran Church (0.8 miles)
• Immaculate Conception Catholic Church (0.8 miles)
• Trinity Episcopal Church (1 miles)
• Maple City Baptist Church (1 miles)
• New Life Foursquare Church (1.1 miles)
• First Christian Church (1.1 miles)
• Southern Baptist Convention (1.1 miles)

Transportation

• Monmouth Municipal Airport (C66) (1.4 miles)
• National Stearman Fly-in (12.1 miles)
• U-Haul Moving & Storage (14.5 miles)

Parks

• Monmouth Park (1.5 miles)
• Backyard Pool And Sports Field (10.5 miles)
• Lake Storey Park (14.3 miles)
• Seaton Park (14.5 miles)
• Lakeside Water Park (14.8 miles)
• Standish Park (15 miles)
• Lincoln Park (15.2 miles)