Patronize health care facilities, businesses in Lenawee County

After having numerous problems with both Herrick and Bixby and the way they  bill, double bill and cost me an extra $500 fee because of the way they (incorrectly) billed my health insurance carrier, I will NEVER use either of these facilities again so long as I have a choice between them and University Hospital and affiliated doctors. I've also had some pretty lousy, uncaring doctors through that network as well. The nurses at Bixby know who I speak of, too! If they want more business, then they have to earn it by being more than just "local". They've lost my trust and confidence long ago. I'll take the longer drive to Ann Arbor anyday to get better care and more efficient service at those times when I need it most.

Well Harvey. I can well understand why Herrick and Bixby had more than 17 million dollars in unreimbursed care. With all the services they bill for that people never received, their outragous billings for items used that are wasted. How about the millions being shoved into the buildings that are not needed.

 Na!! If I going to have to pay for others greed like Promedica and our local Doctors, then I going to have the best. Best care, Best Doctors, Best hosptials.

You can't get that yet in Tecumseh or Lenawee County. Not yet and probally never will.

I agree with the other posters...sorry, no thanks.  "Buy local" is a great slogan for produce and also works for small businesses, assuming people can afford the premium they pay to do this (For families struggling to make ends meet, they're probably more concerned about the bottom line on their receipt vs. less concrete ideas like "money spent here stays here".). Healthcare is not in this category, however.  Herrick and Bixby want to get more business, let them offer quality care.  

As an example of what they do offer, there was an ER doctor at Herrick who was unable to find a fracture in my son's leg, even though my husband and I, who have no medical training,  both looked at the X-ray with the doctor and said "we don't think the bone is supposed to bend like that".  Wasted an evening in that ER, cost my son another half-day of pain, and didn't get it diagnosed until the next day when we went to UM. 

Sorry Mayor Schmidt, have to disagree with you on this one.  Since you're a board member, maybe you should work to improve the care offered at Bixby and Herrick instead of attempting to guilt us into accepting the current sub-standard product in the name of "local loyalty".  I can choose to go elsewhere and I consider it well worth the drive.

I have differering experiences with Herrick, but I attribute this to the difference between health care practitioners, which you will find anywhere you go. When I myself was in the ER five years ago with severe pain, I was quickly (and accurately!) diagnosed. My own UM affiliated doctor was less quick to believe this diagnosis and after I pushed for an ultrasound, the Herrick diagnosis was confirmed. I've found often that with UM, I have to definitely assert myself over what doctors have said, and be my own advocate. Herrick made me feel like they were listening.

On separate occasions with other family members we got different doctors and different results. One was neutral - good outcome, not so good bedside manner of the doctor but I was happy to have my child's issue taken care of quickly instead of waiting for MANY hours at the UM emergency room, which we have done before. The other experience, the doctor himself was fine but it was the nursing staff that caused my eyebrows to go up. And again, I think this is something you could find at any medical facility on any given day, depending on what person is treating what problem.

I haven't had a problem with the billing per se except for once when instead of contacting my insurer to find out our details it was presumed we had no insurance and got the full bill. But, a quick call to my insurer and then to Herrick and this was taken care of. Again, this can happen anywhere.

I am personally grateful that we have a local hospital here where emergencies can be dealt with. Our family has never had anyone actually admitted there but for a local hospital I feel very comfortable with Herrick and the care we have received there.

My experiences with Herrick and Bixbey have been great.  Ok, they are not the place to go for specialized services like cancer or heart issues.  But, for routine issues, they are caring quick and efficient. I have never bumped into a rude person there.

SO, the folks that have had a bad experience should try again!  We are lucky to have such facilities in our area. Think of what would happen if either location were to close.