Is this the right ER, or should I take them down the street?

[letmesleep]

Ok, basing this off of the dead woman in the waiting room thread, and I'm sure this has been discussed here before. We have tons of facilities out there that put up a white sign with red lettering stating "EMERGENCY" (or some variation of such) that can't handle a splinter under your skin.

Just as a disclaimer: I have an idea how things work here, and you know your system, we know where to take OUR pt's, so I'm looking for an answer to the deception that occurs with the general public.

for example: in this area our VA hospital has an ER that can't handle anything more than a basic sick case, or processing for the psych unit, and if the pt isn't a vet.....well don't even bother stopping in. So how is it that they are able to put up a sign stating "EMERGENCY" outside? they wouldn't qualify for anything more than an urgent care in my opinion. Psych hospitals are the same.

My question is: How does a hospital get to put one of these signs out by the entrance of their facility, but then get to pick and choose what they will accept as an emergency?

We as health care providers know the difference between an emergency and a cab ride to the hospital, but what if one of these hospitals are 20ft away, and your pt needs care NOW? How are these hospitals utilized in your system, and how often do you see the public walking into the great unknown?

[JPINFV]

Well, the VA can get away with it because they do have an emergency room. In the system that I worked in, you actually see in big red letters "No emergency care provided" at all of the non-acute care hospitals to warn the public that they can't go there on their own to get something checked out. Instead of an emergency sigh, most of these hospitals will have a sign saying, "Ambulance Entrance."