Neighbor Turns to West Suburban for Help

Patient with gastric distress

“West Sub was not on my radar at all,” says Michael Fine, 54, a resident of Oak Park. “I mean, I knew it was here and have passed it many times but to come here as a patient? No.” He had always relied on the larger health networks for medical care for himself, wife and three children.

All that changed when the current Oak Park resident suffered days of continuous bouts of debilitating gastric distress. After giving it a few days, he realized that he wasn’t getting better and in fact, was feeling worse and took action. “I recently started a new job and my new health insurance told me to go to West Sub,” he says. “So my wife and I went to the West Sub emergency room on Friday, July 5 and my entire experience has been nothing short of amazing.”

Mr. Fine was made comfortable in the emergency room, received immediate attention and tests were conducted. “I was admitted to the hospital and for my entire stay here the care has been outstanding,” he says. “All of the nurses are professional, attentive and friendly but what really blew me away was the care I received from the day nurse, Angela, and my doctor.”

Angela Laconte, RN, and Tariq Mubarak, MD, an internal medicine physician, cared for Mr. Fine.

“Dr. Mubarak sat with me in my room for more than half an hour, talking to me and answering my questions,” he says. “He even called my wife on his personal cell phone and explained things to her. I actually do get that same level of service from my primary care physician who I have been with for years, but did not expect it from a doctor who had never even met me before.”

“The only bad part of my stay was having to drink the barium before the x-rays,” he joked. “That truly is the most bitter, awful stuff I have ever put in my mouth.”

Five days later, Mr. Fine returned home, just a few blocks away from West Suburban Medical Center.

“I have lived here 11 years and I finally experienced West Sub,” he says. “It has been a very positive experience.”