If I could give this facility zero stars, I would.
My wife was admitted to Sandgate following a transfer from Moffitt Cancer Center. Before admission, I specifically confirmed with facility staff that her prescribed oral chemotherapy medication could be administered at Sandgate, provided we brought the medication with us. We were told this would not be a problem multiple times and were instructed to bring the medication, which we did.
Upon arrival, the facility was not prepared with the breathing equipment she required. They reluctantly looked for and found the equipment. My wife had not eaten for many hours due to a 3- hour ambulance ride, but I was told it was too late to get her food, so I had to leave and purchase food myself. Her room also had several issues, including no guard rails on the bed, and non-functioning TV and air conditioning. I was told I was not allowed to stay the night with her.
At approximately 4:00 a.m., I received a frantic call because staff could not locate equipment needed to assist my wife's breathing and I heard my wife gasping in the background. The equipment was eventually found and the situation was rectified.
The next morning, a physical therapist and I arrived at the same time just in time to prevent my wife from falling from the bed. When I asked whether she had received her chemotherapy medication, I was informed that Sandgate could not administer it after all and she must go to another hospital. This directly contradicted the information provided several times to me, Moffitt, and my wife's case worker before admission and was the primary reason we chose the facility.
Efforts to transfer my wife to a hospital were delayed, and there were significant communication and coordination problems throughout the process. I was told by nurses to make sure I got the director's attention again before 4:30 because she leaves the office regardless of what is happening. They also did not seem surprised by the misinformation I was given. Later that day, after my wife's vitals had not been taken for 8 hours, a nurse determined that my wife required urgent hospital care, and she was transported immediately to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center.
My wife passed away at Lawnwood four days later.
While I cannot say whether the outcome would have been different if she had gone to a competent rehab facility, I was deeply concerned by the lack of preparation, misinformation, communication, and consistency regarding her care, as well as the condition of the rooms. Based on my experience, I would keep my loved ones far away from the facility. read more
