Ivinson Memorial Hospital Extended Care

Pros

• Jenna was an amazing ER provider who was kind, explained medical terms clearly, and identified the father's cancer.
• The staff, nurses, and Dr. Lewis were amazing, professional, and caring during the four-day admission.
• The team at Ivinson Memorial Hospital was professional, caring, and supportive from reception to discharge.
• Dr. Hammond was very understanding and regarded as a great doctor.
• Angie S. was wonderful, caring, and a good listener.
• The hospital was described as warm, kind, and professional, with a welcoming front desk.
• Staff were great and provided excellent care for knee surgery and other procedures.

Cons

• The hospital was described as the world's worst hospital and medical team.
• It was called one of the most expensive hospitals around, with high charges.
• The billing system was labeled a complete sham, including double-charging for services.
• Unresolved bills are sent to collections without proper notice or explanation.
• Front desk and billing staff were described as rude or unhelpful.
• Staff were alleged to push patients through to maximize billing and discharge them into the cold.
• Doctors were accused of not reading patient charts, leading to poor or unsafe care.
• The hospital was criticized for prioritizing bed occupancy over patient care and safety.

Review

The range of experiences at Ivinson Memorial Hospital runs from life-affirming compassion to administrative frustration, and the mix is strikingly wide. Some of the most heartfelt notes come from families who encountered a level of care that made a difficult time bearable. One reviewer praised Jenna in the Emergency Room as an amazing provider who treated their parents with warmth, explained medical terms in a way that was easy to understand, and even helped identify their dad's cancer - an encounter described with clear gratitude: "We SO appreciate her!" Others echoed that sentiment, recounting how the ER team and specific clinicians made a real difference during frightening moments, with stories of nurses, staff, and doctors being professional, attentive, and genuinely dedicated to their patients' wellbeing.

Beyond the ER doors, several accounts describe similar dedication from the broader hospital staff. A family that faced a medical emergency in another city highlighted the care they received from the team, including Dr. Lewis, noting that from admission to discharge over four days, the staff remained consistently professional and caring. Multiple comments spoke to the sense that the hospital could deliver the best possible treatment when everything aligned: "They took good care of my husband and everyone was professional and caring the whole time," and "Our son was in the hospital for several weeks, and all of the staff were wonderful, kind, and very caring." For some, the care connected to particular departments - OBGYN and general inpatient services - left a lasting, positive impression, reinforcing that the hospital can be a source of strength and relief during stressful health journeys.

Yet the sentiment surrounding the hospital is far from uniform. A chorus of strong negative reviews presents a stark counterpoint: some readers describe Ivinson as "the world's worst hospital and medical team," with impressions that management is out of step with patient needs. There are references to unresolved concerns about care, communication gaps, and even suggestions that staff do not always read patient charts or fully understand a patient's history, with one reviewer stating, "The doctors don't read your chart? every time you come in they don't know anything that's going on with you." Another pointed out overheard conversations about keeping patients in beds to maximize billing, a claim that, whether contested or not, fuels a perception that financial incentives can trump patient comfort and timely discharge.

The dispute about the hospital's administration and culture is tightly interwoven with personal experiences of care. One reviewer responded to a management reply by saying they wouldn't engage in a back-and-forth, but still credited certain individuals - Lexi the PA in Urgent Care and the lab nurses - with positive performance - while expressing ongoing concern about unit management. In another personal narrative, two days of care for someone dealing with alcohol-related issues are described with warmth toward the staff who helped, followed by a long, reflective update that extends into days of ongoing recovery. These anecdotes illustrate a healthcare environment that can be deeply supportive on one hand, while on the other hand leaves patients feeling underheard or inadequately assisted when their non-medical concerns - their billing, their costs, or their long-term care plans - loom large.

Billing and financial experience emerges as one of the most consistent points of contention. Several reviews recount billing chaos: duplicated charges for short appointments, unclear service coding, and bills that seem to arrive without sufficient explanation. One encounter describes a charge of over $900 for the physician and almost $1,000 for facility fees after what was described as a simple ER visit for a cut, and a reminder to "be aware people" about the cost. Other reviews detail bills that appeared in collections without proper notice, confusion about what the insurance side had covered, and a customer service experience described as unhelpful or unprofessional. In one case, a patient who sought indigent care ultimately faced a difficult payment plan and collections, fueling frustration with the overall financial handling of care in a way that colored even otherwise positive experiences.

There is also a clear thread about access and logistics that colors the overall impression of the hospital. A few comments mention the difficulty of finding the entrance, long wait times in urgent care, and perceived misalignment between patient urgency and the triage or intake process. A truck driver related a particularly stark experience of waiting hours with severe dental pain, feeling neglected and frustrated by the front desk's communication, and ultimately leaving without treatment. The sentiment is that while the hospital has capable clinicians, the ordering of care and the flow of patients sometimes fails to match the urgency of need, leaving patients and families frustrated and seeking alternatives.

Amid these divergent experiences, there are also steadfast affirmations of the hospital's value to the community. Some reviewers describe orthopedic successes, noting knee and shoulder surgeries performed at Ivinson with excellent outcomes and gratitude for the post-operative care. Another visitor lauded the hospital's dedication to community health, calling it a solid company and praising the overall positive atmosphere in certain departments and moments. A recurring theme is that when care is delivered well - the humans at the bedside, the nurses who listen, the doctors who explain and show empathy - the hospital can feel like a beacon of support and competence in times when fear or pain would otherwise overwhelm a family.

In the end, the picture that emerges is deeply nuanced. Ivinson Memorial Hospital appears to be a place where remarkable, compassionate care can occur - where individual clinicians, like Jenna in the ER or Lexi in Urgent Care, can leave lasting, positive impressions, and where patients repeatedly thank staff for kindness, clarity, and effective treatment. At the same time, the institution must contend with serious concerns about billing practices, administrative communication, and the perceived incentives that shape patient flow and discharge. The stories suggest a hospital that is deeply valued for its human touch and clinical skill, yet persistently challenged by systemic issues that affect the patient experience beyond the bedside. For people in the community, the hospital's reality seems to hinge on whether you intersect with a team that embodies care and transparency, or encounter a system that leaves you wrestling with costs, paperwork, and a sense that your needs - medical and financial - are not always aligned with the hospital's operations.

Physicians

• Dr Talbot’s Family Practice (0 miles)
• Allergy & Asthma Clinic of Wyoming (0 miles)
• Ideal Protein of Laramie, WY (0 miles)
• Behavioral Health Service (0.1 miles)
• Shaun S Shafer Md (0.2 miles)
• Stone Meadow Health and Wellness (0.2 miles)
• Meadowlark Pediatrics (0.2 miles)

Hospitals

• Ivinson Memorial Hospital (0 miles)
• Meredith And Jeannie Ray Cancer Center (0 miles)
• Albany County Hospital District (0.1 miles)
• Urgent Care (0.9 miles)
• Five Stars (0.9 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (0.3 miles)
• Coal Creek Coffee Uptown (0.4 miles)
• Java Java Espresso (0.5 miles)
• Book & Bean (1.2 miles)
• Turtle Rock Coffee (1.5 miles)
• The Rising Cafe (1.6 miles)
• Turtle Rock Coffee (1.7 miles)

Restaurants

• Wendy's (0.3 miles)
• Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers (0.3 miles)
• McDonald's (0.3 miles)
• Chili's Grill & Bar (0.3 miles)
• McAlister's Deli (0.4 miles)
• Arby's (0.5 miles)
• Taco Bell (0.6 miles)

Pharmacies

• Quality IV Care (0.3 miles)
• Pole Mountain Pharmacy (1.9 miles)
• Safeway Pharmacy (2 miles)

Theaters

• Studio City Uw Plaza - Arq (0.3 miles)
• Regal Fox Theater (0.7 miles)

Parks

• LaPrele Park (0.8 miles)
• Washington Park (0.9 miles)
• Fraternity Mall (1 miles)
• Harbon Park (1.2 miles)
• Optimist Park (1.4 miles)
• Optimist Park Dog Park (2.5 miles)

Places of Worship

• University Catholic Community (0.9 miles)
• Zion Lutheran Church (0.9 miles)
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (0.9 miles)
• Church of Christ (1 miles)
• Laramie Nazarene Church (1.1 miles)
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (1.2 miles)
• Wesley Foundation (1.3 miles)

Transportation

• Laramie Taxidermy (1.4 miles)
• Alamo (1.9 miles)
• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (2.5 miles)