Are you surprised about these instructions from an ER doc?

[Michael]

Because I'm wondering what unique treatment the ER is going to provide for the 5 conditions he lists in the first paragraph, except that the waiting room is a) in the shade, there's not much to talk about there, c) smoking is prohibited, d) the surfaces should be clean, and e) you can get plenty of rest while you wait.

Aren't the treatments of these conditions what was home was invented for?

NY Times - June 19, 2006

In an Emergency ...

By NEAL FLOMENBAUM, M.D.

If you need medical treatment and the problem is acute or urgent but not serious or life threatening — like waking up with a painful sunburn, sore throat, sinusitis, rash or a bad "summer cold" — try to go to an emergency room early in the day. Often, if you can get to an emergency room by 8 or 9 a.m., you can be out in an hour or two. Later in the day you may find yourself waiting much longer as the number of more seriously ill patients being treated in the ER increases.

When the problem occurs after the early morning hours, and you are relatively close to several emergency departments, it may be worthwhile to go to the one with a walk-in clinic or urgent care center, sometimes also called fast track. If there is such a facility available, find out its hours since only some walk-in clinics operate around the clock. You may also try to determine the waiting times at the different departments nearby.

On the other hand, if you have a potentially serious or life-threatening emergency, ignore all the suggestions above and get yourself to an emergency department. Do not be afraid to call for an ambulance when indicated. A properly equipped ambulance staffed with trained emergency medicine technicians or paramedics can make a tremendous difference in outcome.

Copyright 2006 The New York Times Company

[ERDoc]

AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! (Doc prepares for the onslaught of stupidity that is about to hit his doors). Why would anyone, especially a doctor say something like this. This is why we have PMDs. People (apparently including other doctors) don't understand what the word EMERGENCY means. Don't come to my ER for a sunburn. I will be as sweet as pie and tell you what to do, but you won't be getting any scripts from me and you will get a several hundred dollar bill. This is why our health care system is in such chaos. People (and physicians) utilizing the limited resources inappropriately wastes money. I can't count the number of times I got a bad burn when I was a kid (I'm a fair skinned guy with ancestry from northern Europe). Never once did I got to the ER. Had I even thought about it, my mother would have laughed at me and given me some over the counter cream that worked just fine. You guys in the field are going to feel the effects too. People are going to want to go to the ER and will forget how to drive the 3 cars in their driveway.

This reminds me of a pateint from my EMS days. It was around 3am and we brought in a lady with chest pain. Behind us in triage comes an ambulance with a 20-something years old woman who had sunburn on the top of her feet. The doc told them not to take her off the strecher. He examined her, wrote the note, gave her the discharge instructions and told them to take her out to the waiting room for her family to pick her up.

Sorry to ramble, but stupidity makes me angry and I needed to vent.

[ERDoc]

OK, this guy is the Chief of Emergency Medicine at one of the hospitals in NYC. What is he thinking? I'm guessing he does not work too many clinical shifts any more.

[JackMaga]

And I thought bad use of the ER was a typical Italians problem!

Last week a girl came to the ER because she couldn't get her new contact lenses off :shock:

It seems that stupidity joins all people!

[ERDoc]

And I thought bad use of the ER was a typical Italians problem!

Last week a girl came to the ER because she couldn't get her new contact lenses off :shock:

It seems that stupidity joins all people!

Here in the US, we have perfected it and now are apparently encouraging it. Most of the Italians here seem to know what is and what is not appropriate. We do have a few groups that seem to think we are here solely for them whenever they need something.

[chbare]

They have it down to a science in my area. They will come to the er waiting room, do a recon, and find out how busy the er is before checking in or returning later. Another trick I see, is if they see people leaving during their recon the will ask and find out what doc is working. Then, you have the er is real busy and I am already checked in what to do trick. They simply leave the waiting room and call 911 with the hope that being strapped to a stretcher will get them in the back faster. I would say 70 % or more of what we see is non emergent. There is a saying that goes something like, ER doctors saving patients from their PMD's since the dawn of time. :roll:

Take care,

chbare.

[Arachne]

Our local ER has us trained to put BS or very minor patients directly into triage (aka, the waiting room)...it teaches them that a stretcher does NOT earn them faster treatment.

[Ridryder 911]

I think they have an underground network with enhanced communications when to invade the ER. Ever notice they come set groups... ?I swear, it appears they know exactly when to hit the busiest parts. As well, the physician that wrote the article needs to get back in the ER and quit smelling the potpourri and start smelling a busy ER. Thanks doc for just increasing our waiting time!

R/r 911

[zippyRN]

OK, this guy is the Chief of Emergency Medicine at one of the hospitals in NYC. What is he thinking? I'm guessing he does not work too many clinical shifts any more.

eye on the bottom line?

'item of service' or 'payment by results' banging plenty of patients who need little more than advice through the minors side is good for income

however proper sinusitis is a painful and distressing complaint which can make you really ill ! (

[strippel]

Rid, I wish I could figure out how they do that.

Most don't have cell phones, some don't even have a place to live. But they sure do communicate. I wish our 800 mhz system worked that well. If PD, Fire, and EMS only communicated so well.

We frequently take patients to triage, sign them in at the desk, and get them their little pager. We just need to walk them past the charge nurse, so she can see them breathe.

Thank God for triage and fastcare.

Took in an elderly male, not to long ago. He got a cold during the night, and couldn't stand the headache, nasal congestion, drainage, and cough. His wife made him an appointment at 1030 at the FMD, but he couldn't wait. He called 911 right after breakfast (0630, our shift change). We arrived, and offered the obligatory ride. His wife said no, he said yes. He said that he would be seen faster arriving on the litter. We walked him to the ambulance, seat belted him to the bench, and drove 2 1/2 blocks to the ER. He promptly walked into triage as his wife parked the car.