• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

The hospital emergency room.

#42
Mike...I hope it works out for your dad. Being in a hospital is the right place for him. He's being monitored and looked after.

Here in Switzerland, they prioritize cases in ER. I have been to the ER about six or seven times this year. Each time I have never waited more than 30 minutes. I have, in the past, had to wait up to four hours.
 
#43
MJ5150 said:
I had the privilege of spending five or so hours in my local hospital Monday night into Tuesday morning. My father complained of chest pain, slurred speech, and difficulty walking, so I drove him in. My father is old school, and absolutely, positively, demanded no 911 or ambulance ride.

Upon arrival, I found it so very interesting how people define a medical emergency in 2013. We sat around people who didn't "feel good". A young lady near us thought she might have the flu. One lady was there with her four kids, and she was having knee pain. Another man hurt his finger in the car door when he closed it. I overheard a woman talking to her daughter about a vaginal infection. In came a woman who had a sore back. Later in the evening a couple came in who wanted someone to clean their ears out since it was hard for them to hear. One guy thought he had gall bladder problems and wanted an operation to fix them. Maybe it's just me, and I don't get what a medical emergency is. Maybe I was just hyper sensitive because of the condition of my father.

-Mike
Click to expand...


My brother works as both a EMT and a firefighter for the city of Houston. He told me on average around 33% of the ambulance runs he makes are for non-emergency reasons. And usually these people are the same ones who can't/don't/won't pay their ambulance bill either, and the taxpayer has to cover the rest.
 
#44
bmc said:
Mike...I hope it works out for your dad. Being in a hospital is the right place for him. He's being monitored and looked after.

Here in Switzerland, they prioritize cases in ER. I have been to the ER about six or seven times this year. Each time I have never waited more than 30 minutes. I have, in the past, had to wait up to four hours.
Click to expand...


That's the case with most U.S. hospitals, though I'm sure plenty try to "game" the system and get seen quicker. When I had a kidney stone and was literally on floor writhing in pain, there were still kids dancing and playing around that got called before me in the ER. I've never used that hospital since.
 
#47
In 2007 I stepped on a yellow jacket's nest while using a weed whacker. I was stung about 10-15 times before I realized what was happening. Yellow jackets are nasty little creatures, they'll chase you around, and crawl up your shorts and sting your butt and weiner. When the dust settled I guessed that I was stung about 30-40 times. My vision went blurry, I couldn't stand, my head hurt, and I puked. My brother was with me so he rushed me to the ER.

A nurse immediately took my blood pressure and pulse then told me to wait. I sat next to a guy in the waiting room who was there because of a toothache. Another woman was there because her prescription had run out and she couldn't afford a refill, although she did send one of her 3 kids to Burger King to pick up food for them.

After about 2 hours I still hadn't seen a doctor. My vision had returned to normal and I felt a lot better, so I got up and walked out.

The next day my face had swelled up so much I looked like I had down syndrome.
 
#50
The closest hospital to my house closed a few years ago because of the high number of ER visits by people who couldn't/wouldn't pay. OTOH, when I narfed my left index fingertip (fretting hand) with my router and brand new tongue & groove bit, it left a flap of skin and the people who started treatment asked for a DR to advise. She walked in, looked at it, told me it couldn't be saved, snipped it off and left. The bill had a line with 'Outpatient surgery- $585' on it. I thought that was a bit steep, since it took a whole 30 seconds, so I disputed it. I respect her credentials and abilities, but that kind of bill tells me that they always gouge the insurance companies and that's why they negotiate the final price. The system is broken and the solution hasn't been brought to the table, IMO. While I waited, I listened for the reasons other people were there- headache, stubbed toe and a couple of people with chest pain. The next time I needed any treatment, I suggested that we go to the nearest clinic for the 9 staples needed for the gash in my head. I should have gone there for my finger, too.

I think clinics should be used for minor cases, for all people. My theory is- make sure enough clinics exist so there's no great distance to travel, with enough actual hospitals and ERs to handle the major problems. Milwaukee no longer has the number of hospitals it once did and the distances traveled is longer- those on the Northern end will often go to the adjacent county. The clinics don't need the latest and greatest equipment, or staff. They could have a few people with more advanced training and abilities, but most should be able to handle the more common needs, with lower prices. If someone can prove they can't afford treatment, the same procedures for billing can be followed as what's done with ER visits.

If someone takes the bus to the ER, they don't need urgent care and I saw this on several occasions when I was visiting my parents at the end of their lives. It's done because it's free and because it abuses the system. Not everyone I saw looked poor, but I heard a lot of people say they couldn't pay.
 
#52
I bet though, if the hospital is worth a damn, that the others in the wait room we're waiting for HOURS to be seen and his dad got in rather quickly. I recently got a panicked call from my mother that my gramma was having chest pains and didn't wanna go to the doctors. I was at her house in 10 minutes. Her blood pressure was 200 over 110 and her heart rate was 180. She's 85. I told her she didn't have a choice and she was getting in the car. (she absolutely refused to let me near the phone to call an ambulance and I knew I could have her there in the time it took them to get to her house). Ten more minutes and we're rolling into the ER. It was PACKED. I hadn't even finished telling the front nurse her symptoms before a doctor, a cardiologist, and a nurse had her and were on the job as if her life depended on it. That's how it should be. Priority to priority problems. Let the hangnails wait til nothing is happening.
Gramma is fine now.
 
#53
Btw, I used to work in a hospital and our emergency room had a great way to deal with the time wasters who want their ears cleaned, or the Friday night drug seekers coming in to score oxy's by complaining of indeterminate "stomach pain". Many were frequent flyers. The triage would consult a doctor/ ER nurse who would write "3-4 hours florescent light therapy prn" on the slip. It meant "make em sit in the waiting room for 3 or 4 hours and if they're still here then maybe we'll talk, in the meantime I'm attending to the gunshot and car wreck".
 
#54
eyeballkid said:
I bet though, if the hospital is worth a damn, that the others in the wait room we're waiting for HOURS to be seen and his dad got in rather quickly.
Click to expand...

When we left my pops house, his blood pressure was in the 190/100 range. We got to the ER, and the triage person was more concerned with completing the initial questionnaire than addressing the situation. My pop was even holding his chest as he answered questions. She then handed us a pager and asked us to have a seat and wait until it went off.

After five minutes, I approached one of the RN's who was calling people in the back for the initial exam and let him know what was going on with my father. He also seemed unconcerned and advised us to wait. About 15 minutes later, we were called back to complete the initial admit exam. About an hour after that, we finally got into a room. Plenty of other folks got called back as we waited, including the lady with all the kids and the sore knee.

I worked in a hospital for two years, so I know how spread thin ER staff can be. I was really trying in this thread to not target staff as part of my frustration and focus more on the patients abusing the system, but I will admit the nonchalant attitude of the ER staff was surprising as well. Especially considering this hospital prides itself on it's excellent record of caring for heart attack/stroke victims.

-Mike
 
#56
MJ5150 said:
When we left my pops house, his blood pressure was in the 190/100 range. We got to the ER, and the triage person was more concerned with completing the initial questionnaire than addressing the situation. My pop was even holding his chest as he answered questions. She then handed us a pager and asked us to have a seat and wait until it went off.

After five minutes, I approached one of the RN's who was calling people in the back for the initial exam and let him know what was going on with my father. He also seemed unconcerned and advised us to wait. About 15 minutes later, we were called back to complete the initial admit exam. About an hour after that, we finally got into a room. Plenty of other folks got called back as we waited, including the lady with all the kids and the sore knee.

I worked in a hospital for two years, so I know how spread thin ER staff can be. I was really trying in this thread to not target staff as part of my frustration and focus more on the patients abusing the system, but I will admit the nonchalant attitude of the ER staff was surprising as well. Especially considering this hospital prides itself on it's excellent record of caring for heart attack/stroke victims.

-Mike
Click to expand...

In that case I think some of your anger and frustration is misplaced. The problem is not those who have less urgent ailments. Your hospital is apparently incompetemt at running a simple triage.

For severe chest pains any time over two or three minutes between walk in and on your back hooked to a monitor and a team of nurses installing an iv and asking questions is unnacceptable.

Ive never had to wait that long with chest pains. Forms can be filled out after you are somewhat stable.
 
#58
MJ5150 said:
No, it is indeed the people abusing the system, and precisely why I did not address the hospital staff at the outset.

-Mike
Click to expand...

So are you saying you approve of their decision to admit the lady with the sore knee ahead of your father?

I would never admit them ahead of a life threatening situation and had at least three or four beds open on standby in case of an incoming traffic accident.

With the insurance situation what it is the er might be their only option for care. Clinics just wont take you without insurance or cash up front. At least not here.
 
#60
MJ5150 said:
I had the privilege of spending five or so hours in my local hospital Monday night into Tuesday morning. My father complained of chest pain, slurred speech, and difficulty walking, so I drove him in. My father is old school, and absolutely, positively, demanded no 911 or ambulance ride.

Upon arrival, I found it so very interesting how people define a medical emergency in 2013. We sat around people who didn't "feel good". A young lady near us thought she might have the flu. One lady was there with her four kids, and she was having knee pain. Another man hurt his finger in the car door when he closed it. I overheard a woman talking to her daughter about a vaginal infection. In came a woman who had a sore back. Later in the evening a couple came in who wanted someone to clean their ears out since it was hard for them to hear. One guy thought he had gall bladder problems and wanted an operation to fix them. Maybe it's just me, and I don't get what a medical emergency is. Maybe I was just hyper sensitive because of the condition of my father.

-Mike
Click to expand...

In general a doctors office wants to be paid at time of service.

The ER bills. This issue could be eliminated merely by the ER charging for non emergency work at the time of service.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back