Tuesday, August 30, 2011

The emergency room Dr. is not your personal physician


e·mer·gen·cy

noun /iˈmərjənsē/ 
emergencies, plural
1.     A serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action
§  - your quick response in an emergency could be a lifesaver
§  - times of emergency

2.     Arising from or needed or used in an emergency
§  - an emergency exit

3.     A person with a medical condition requiring immediate treatment



This is the definition of emergency. I understand living in the United States where the culture is I get it my way and I get that now. At no time is it an emergency because of your lack of planning or not being a prudent person. Geography is also not an emergency. I began in the days way before EMTALA and I realize the abuse that was done by some. I believe that if someone takes the ambulance into the emergency room for a non-emergent problem then they should get a ticket. Oh no…. we would make someone unhappy and they would make a complaint when the hospital does a call back. Maybe you should not be in an ER if you say this upon arrival:

1.      How long is this going to take, I want to go the movies after this.

2.      I just need a pregnancy test.

3.      Can you give me a prescription for Tylenol? I don’t want to pay for it.

4.      No I can’t pay my six dollar co-pay, I don’t have any money. (this is stated as she proceeds to play a game on her iPhone)

5.      Can I get a sandwich? (within seconds of arrival)

6.      I need to get my ears cleaned; I have a lot of wax.

7.      Is this a pimple? (yes….yes it is)

Am I bitter? Hell no, I am thankful for what I have and will have. People are people and their small interaction with me will never change their lifetime of how they cope. It will also not change their thought process or what they perceive as an emergency, so I laugh and shake my head. I used to fight it and educate, argue, bitch and that elicited complaint after complaint. I sift through the non-emergent patients for the hidden legitimate sick one. Oh and they are always there lurking and testing you. I never let my judgment inflict bad decisions on medical care. I have had several grazes and brushes where I could have been burned. This would have ended up being a detriment to the patient and all  my fault for missing it due to disregarding the patient.

Now that is only a very small example, however you get the just. Hang on and buckle up people because I have got 23 years of shit in my head and it all needs to come out. I will be posting rants, stories, complaints, views, philosophies, and my general beliefs that are related to the Emergency Room. It will be wonderful so hang on. If not then it will be therapeutic to my mind.

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