Carle Foundation Hospital review: Poor healthcare organization

As a patient of Carle Health, I feel compelled to share my experience with the hope that it may lead to accountability and systemic improvement. Unfortunately, my time receiving care through Carle has been a nightmare — one that has not only failed to support my health but has actively worsened my condition due to pervasive systemic failures and a lack of culturally competent, patient-centered care.

First and foremost, Carle Health demonstrates a deeply ethnocentric approach to care. Cultural competency is severely lacking, and providers often operate from assumptions and biases rooted in societal norms rather than recognizing the unique needs of diverse patients. This creates a dismissive atmosphere where patients — especially those from marginalized backgrounds — are not seen, heard, or treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.

Institutional priorities at Carle emphasize productivity and patient volume over meaningful care. The focus on throughput has drastically reduced the time spent on each patient, making it nearly impossible to gather complete medical histories or engage in nuanced assessments. In my experience, providers often relied on generic assumptions and irrelevant generalizations rather than engaging with the specifics of my symptoms or condition.

Additionally, documentation practices are deeply concerning. Providers routinely copy and paste from previous visits, leading to inaccurate, outdated, or entirely irrelevant records. Critical aspects of care — such as systems reviews or physical assessments — are often documented as completed when they were not performed at all. This not only jeopardizes patient safety but undermines trust in the healthcare system.

The nursing staff — both in hospital and clinic settings — have contributed significantly to my distress. Rather than being advocates for patients, many were dismissive, demeaning, and at times outright bullying. I encountered nurses who failed to perform basic assessments, communicated poorly, and showed no interest in familiarizing themselves with my condition or concerns. This breakdown in communication created frustration, confusion, and ultimately, harm.

Care has often been delayed unnecessarily, and providers have repeated the same tests rather than pursuing appropriate procedures or treatment plans. Short appointment times further compound these issues, making it impossible to address complex or ongoing problems. After repeatedly trying to advocate for myself and experiencing no improvement, I have been left feeling completely defeated and abandoned by a system that is supposed to heal, not harm.

In sum, Carle Health has made my medical situation worse — not better. I no longer feel safe or supported in this healthcare system. The dismissiveness, poor communication, inaccurate documentation, and culturally incompetent care have significantly impacted my physical and mental well-being. I am sharing this review not out of bitterness, but from a place of urgency and a desire to see patients treated with the respect, accuracy, and individualized attention we all deserve.