I've never made a review, but I feel very compelled to write this. To reviewer number one, to say it's a semi functioning emergency room is like saying a dentist's office is a semi functioning orthodontist's office. SFIH has NOT had an emergency room since Santo Domingo took their funds away from the facility to start a Tribal facility. SFIH is a primary care facility that also has an urgent care where they see minor ailments, such as broken bones and lacerations. It is not an appropriate place to take someone for a true life or death emergency. As for the primary care offered, you mentioned getting a referral to a functioning facility. Referrals are made for specialists, which is something any primary care office would do once a ailment is beyond the scope of primary care. Primary care is for prevention and maintenance, not starting people on say heavy duty cardiac medications. Finally, you're right, it's FREE. So, quit complaining. Like any free healthcare facility, expect to wait because thousands of people are requesting their services. Keep in mind, though, that many primary care offices will still make you wait weeks or months for an appointment; So, with that in mind, it should be noted that SFIH still sees patients quicker than the private sector because they accommodate most people within a few days. Also, the doctors at SFIH will treat you for multiple complaints while private sector offices will make patients schedule again for another complaint because they only have 10-15 minutes per patients, which is due to insurance payments, not provider preference. I know this because I work in the insurance industry. I suggest buying private insurance and seeing what the general populations' medical care is like. It's a privilege to get FREE care, FREE meds, and lengthy doctor visits. Enjoy this special treatment while you have it. I imagine the government is going to slowly cut off funding because there is no reason why everyone can't get their own healthcare insurance now, especially with the new Healthcare Exchange. I view my ability to utilize this facility as a privilege that most of the population would gladly trade in their expensive private insurance for. So many complaints about IHS facilities are childish and out of touch with reality. Please be thankful that we are even still able to gain from socialized medicine. I can't imagine it will be around in another 30 years. Perhaps growing up of the East Coast has given me a different perspective, but I have been very pleased with the FREE and thorough care I have received at SFIH. Philosophically, I'm confused why we advocate for indigenous rights and equality and on the opposite side of the coin expect paternalistic, socialized healthcare? If we want true autonomy, then we would take responsibility and purchase our own healthcare. The dichotomy of autonomy and expecting Father Fed to take care of us doesn't make sense. However, I'm still glad I have access to subsidized healthcare... while it lasts. I struggle with this myself. We're picking and choosing autonomy for somethings and wanting more paternalism for other things, like healthcare.
Thomas K.
Oct 2014
If you can get in to see the doctor, the doctors are great. It's just getting past the curt and completely unhelpful people who handle the intake that is a challenge. Go early in the day, otherwise you'll be alone for hours in an almost empty building. Currently they don't answer their appointment line directly. You leave a message and hope someone will call you back. There's no excuse for this. To the reviewer who writes, "I view my ability to utilize this facility as a privilege." It is *not* a privilege; it is a right, guaranteed by treaty. Indian Health Services are NOT free. My ancestors paid for this right in land and blood, and these rights, guaranteed by treaties, are not being fulfilled.
Sam A.
Jan 2013
OK. there's a few things that you need to know if you come here... First off, ever since the Federal Government pulled the plug on the finances when it comes to the indigenous population of the USA, services have been cut, and you're kind of lucky to get any sort of treatment aside from aspirin for for being sick or anything. There's a semi-functional emergency room, but semi-functional is about it. HOWEVER, if you wait long enough and play the game right, you will get a referral to a functioning, or semi-functioning healthcare facility.... And if you, like me, are Native American, this will defray thousands upon thousands of costs down the road... Now to the review... Since this is pretty much a government operation in Santa Fe, expect all the locals who work here to be really nice because they are all about community... Many of these employees have worked here for decades, and know everyone who shows up on their steps like family. You will drive up to what is essentially razed earth, devoid of trees, or buildings to an asphalt parking lot that is devoid of humanity except for other people shuffling in in a desperate attempt to get health care... SOMETIME in the past year, the last waiting areas have been blocked off and are now unuseable due to some nebulous promise of some sort of upgrade in patient services. It hasn't happened... It looks terrible, totally run down... And it looks filthy. Instead of the neat designated arrows, there is now pink flyers telling all the sick people to wander around the building so that they can check in at what equates to a nebulous check in area. Pink paper flyers? Really? When you finally find the outpatient check in area (formerly the maternity ward), you check in and are then directed to the "new" waiting area... Welcome to the NEW waiting area, next to the old waiting area, except there isn't any lighting and you're forced to watch game shows on the two TV monitors... If you're lucky, as I was, you'll run into old friends from decades past or use the light from the single window to read or do homework... Eventually the staff (who were totally wonderful and understanding to me) will call your number, register you, and then you can expect to wait one to three hours to see a doctor. (I was totally annoyed and went down the street to get some food). When I got back, roughly 45 minutes later, my number was called... Yes, I know how things work... My doctor was great, and after all the waiting, I got everything I needed done for my medical issue... So i'm not complaining, although I am dinging this medical facility a star for not having WiFi... I expected a 3 hour wait, and that was pretty much true. I blame the federal government for not providing proper funding to some of this countrie's more impoverished peoples... OBAMA, WHERE ARE YOU?!?!?! NO MORE EMPTY PROMISES PLEASE!
Sam J.
I've never made a review, but I feel very compelled to write this. To reviewer number one, to say it's a semi functioning emergency room is like saying a dentist's office is a semi functioning orthodontist's office. SFIH has NOT had an emergency room since Santo Domingo took their funds away from the facility to start a Tribal facility. SFIH is a primary care facility that also has an urgent care where they see minor ailments, such as broken bones and lacerations. It is not an appropriate place to take someone for a true life or death emergency. As for the primary care offered, you mentioned getting a referral to a functioning facility. Referrals are made for specialists, which is something any primary care office would do once a ailment is beyond the scope of primary care. Primary care is for prevention and maintenance, not starting people on say heavy duty cardiac medications. Finally, you're right, it's FREE. So, quit complaining. Like any free healthcare facility, expect to wait because thousands of people are requesting their services. Keep in mind, though, that many primary care offices will still make you wait weeks or months for an appointment; So, with that in mind, it should be noted that SFIH still sees patients quicker than the private sector because they accommodate most people within a few days. Also, the doctors at SFIH will treat you for multiple complaints while private sector offices will make patients schedule again for another complaint because they only have 10-15 minutes per patients, which is due to insurance payments, not provider preference. I know this because I work in the insurance industry. I suggest buying private insurance and seeing what the general populations' medical care is like. It's a privilege to get FREE care, FREE meds, and lengthy doctor visits. Enjoy this special treatment while you have it. I imagine the government is going to slowly cut off funding because there is no reason why everyone can't get their own healthcare insurance now, especially with the new Healthcare Exchange. I view my ability to utilize this facility as a privilege that most of the population would gladly trade in their expensive private insurance for. So many complaints about IHS facilities are childish and out of touch with reality. Please be thankful that we are even still able to gain from socialized medicine. I can't imagine it will be around in another 30 years. Perhaps growing up of the East Coast has given me a different perspective, but I have been very pleased with the FREE and thorough care I have received at SFIH. Philosophically, I'm confused why we advocate for indigenous rights and equality and on the opposite side of the coin expect paternalistic, socialized healthcare? If we want true autonomy, then we would take responsibility and purchase our own healthcare. The dichotomy of autonomy and expecting Father Fed to take care of us doesn't make sense. However, I'm still glad I have access to subsidized healthcare... while it lasts. I struggle with this myself. We're picking and choosing autonomy for somethings and wanting more paternalism for other things, like healthcare.
Thomas K.
If you can get in to see the doctor, the doctors are great. It's just getting past the curt and completely unhelpful people who handle the intake that is a challenge. Go early in the day, otherwise you'll be alone for hours in an almost empty building. Currently they don't answer their appointment line directly. You leave a message and hope someone will call you back. There's no excuse for this. To the reviewer who writes, "I view my ability to utilize this facility as a privilege." It is *not* a privilege; it is a right, guaranteed by treaty. Indian Health Services are NOT free. My ancestors paid for this right in land and blood, and these rights, guaranteed by treaties, are not being fulfilled.
Sam A.
OK. there's a few things that you need to know if you come here... First off, ever since the Federal Government pulled the plug on the finances when it comes to the indigenous population of the USA, services have been cut, and you're kind of lucky to get any sort of treatment aside from aspirin for for being sick or anything. There's a semi-functional emergency room, but semi-functional is about it. HOWEVER, if you wait long enough and play the game right, you will get a referral to a functioning, or semi-functioning healthcare facility.... And if you, like me, are Native American, this will defray thousands upon thousands of costs down the road... Now to the review... Since this is pretty much a government operation in Santa Fe, expect all the locals who work here to be really nice because they are all about community... Many of these employees have worked here for decades, and know everyone who shows up on their steps like family. You will drive up to what is essentially razed earth, devoid of trees, or buildings to an asphalt parking lot that is devoid of humanity except for other people shuffling in in a desperate attempt to get health care... SOMETIME in the past year, the last waiting areas have been blocked off and are now unuseable due to some nebulous promise of some sort of upgrade in patient services. It hasn't happened... It looks terrible, totally run down... And it looks filthy. Instead of the neat designated arrows, there is now pink flyers telling all the sick people to wander around the building so that they can check in at what equates to a nebulous check in area. Pink paper flyers? Really? When you finally find the outpatient check in area (formerly the maternity ward), you check in and are then directed to the "new" waiting area... Welcome to the NEW waiting area, next to the old waiting area, except there isn't any lighting and you're forced to watch game shows on the two TV monitors... If you're lucky, as I was, you'll run into old friends from decades past or use the light from the single window to read or do homework... Eventually the staff (who were totally wonderful and understanding to me) will call your number, register you, and then you can expect to wait one to three hours to see a doctor. (I was totally annoyed and went down the street to get some food). When I got back, roughly 45 minutes later, my number was called... Yes, I know how things work... My doctor was great, and after all the waiting, I got everything I needed done for my medical issue... So i'm not complaining, although I am dinging this medical facility a star for not having WiFi... I expected a 3 hour wait, and that was pretty much true. I blame the federal government for not providing proper funding to some of this countrie's more impoverished peoples... OBAMA, WHERE ARE YOU?!?!?! NO MORE EMPTY PROMISES PLEASE!