Are You "Emergency Room Happy"?

[AKL_Megs]

The "Ugh Stop Telling Me How To Parent" thread got me thinking about people who go to the emergency room for every little thing.

IMO, unless you are going to die or there are NO clinics around, you don't need the emergency room. Even if it's broken, the clinic can mend it. Last time I was at the clinic at 1am for strep throat, there were TWO kids getting casts on broken arms!

I have a friend whos DD woke up with a painful boil-type cyst on her butt. Her mom drove her 20 minutes to the hospital emergency room, passing MANY clinics on the way.

The day we moved into our house, my mom fell and somehow split open her hand. It was NOT in need of stitches, the bleeding stopped after about a minute, but FOR that minute, my MIL shouted, "Oh my God, oh my God, I can drive you to the emergency room NOW!" Um... but even if she NEEDED stitches, WHY would we pay for an emergency room when the clinic can stitch it up for her $20 co-pay!

 

[kaytieeldr]

We don't have a lot of clinics around here - go figure, Massachusetts, hospital capital of the world : - but, yeah, people WAY overuse the emergency rooms. Why would I pay $100 when I can pay my doctor's office $15? I won't use a clinic at all if possible because my (^@@ insurance plan that I selected without completely understanding does some silly copay+deductible formala thing that I also don't understand what do you mean it's MY fault for not understanding?

But I digress. I actually have a medical issue right now that's either nerve, muscular, or bone related - but because of where the discomfort is, I have solemnly sworn to my primary care physician's office that if I do experience any trouble breathing, I will go to the ER - even during office hours. For 'normal' treatment, though? Hah! Do I look like a fool? I can't afford travel and the ER - a woman's gotta have her priorities, ya know

 

[bigbabyblues]

I do insurance billing for a hospital, I know all about people who are ER happy! We see everything, and I do mean everything. My DH is a paramedic, and you wouldn't believe some of the calls they get for stupid stuff.

FWIW, the only walk-in clinic in our county won't do stitches or set broken bones, and they close at 9:00 pm.

 

[AKL_Megs]

But I digress. I actually have a medical issue right now that's either nerve, muscular, or bone related - but because of where the discomfort is, I have solemnly sworn to my primary care physician's office that if I do experience any trouble breathing, I will go to the ER - even during office hours. For 'normal' treatment, though? Hah! Do I look like a fool? I can't afford travel and the ER - a woman's gotta have her priorities, ya know

Well, yes. A "Code Red" or "Code Blue" type of situation, with not being able to breathe, is TOTALLY different!

And yes, that $90 could go FAR at WDW!

 

[surfergirl602]

We don't have clinics here. We have the hospital, and regular doctor, so those are the choices.

 

[Chelley00]

I spent most of the first 2 weeks of March in and out of the ER (sent there by my doctor) for pain control issues due to a large unpassable kidney stone. I had to wait until my blood thinners were out of my system before they could do any procedures, and I was not able to keep the painkillers down.

It was amazing to me the people in the ER waiting room. While I was writhing in pain and throwing up in a trash can, they were taking people before me because I was already "diagnosed" and other people were not. Understandable, but we were disgusted at what I had to wait on. We heard people talking they were there because they had a cold. One lady had her daughter there with an earache. And some guy was there with an infected splinter. That was the day I waited 3 hours to be seen. Clinics and doctor offices are open during the day on a Tuesday, yet these people were clogging the ER for splinters, earaches and snotty noses.

 

[scrapquitler]

I don't know of any 'clincs' around here (CT). There are a couple of walk in clinics that I know of, with the oh so convenient hours of M-F 9am-6pm. So yeah, if I have an issue and its not during my doctors business hours, I DO go to the ER. Its not that I'm "Er Happy" its that there isn't another option.

 

[golfgal]

When the ER was the only option, yes, we used it (in our old town, after 5:00 there was no other option) but it was only for emergency things like when DS couldn't breath-they ended up admitting him, never for a common cold. Since then, I haven't stepped foot in one and HOPE I don't have to.

Here we have a 24 hour urgent care about 3 miles away and we use that more than anything. Our kids rarely get sick but when they do I pretty much know what it is and going through the hassle of making an appointment at the dr's office is kind of a pain when I know they are going to say that he has an ear infection, here is a prescription and we are out of there. An urgent care visit is the same as a dr's office visit for our insurance. If they have something unusual they go to their primary care doctor.

 

[AKL_Megs]

Clinics and doctor offices are open during the day on a Tuesday, yet these people were clogging the ER for splinters, earaches and snotty noses.

The ER should have turned these people away, or at least made THEM wait. As harsh as that sounds, the ER should be just that, for EMERGENCIES.

An earache, an infected splinter, a cold? SO not an emergency. A woman in pain vomiting in a trash can? C'mon! She needs help, NOW!

 

[DisGirlAllie]

There aren't any clinics around here. And even if it's for something minor on Sundays the doctors tell us to go to the ER.

 

[FireDancer]

I haven't been to the ER since I was 2 and needed stitches in my forehead. I have plenty of friends who are medical professionals, from nurses to doctors, and I call them first. If they think I need the ER I go. So far I haven't.

One of my friends in a trauma nurse at a level 1 trauma unit in town and she is appalled at the stuff that walks in there. They are attempting to treat gun shot wounds and people walk in with tooth aches. Go to the freaking dentist and let the trauma unit deal with the people who are in need of trauma care.

 

[momof1princess]

oh heavens NOOOOOO, we only use the ER for true emergencies (chest pain, can't breathe, etc.). our ER's will keep you there day and night, just waiting to be seen, it's ridiculous. i'd MUCH rather go to an urgent care clinic and spend a couple of hours waiting, than to spend the entire day and half the night at the ER.
however, i used to work in a doctor's office, and i know that the doctors around here set a limit on the number of medicaid patients they will accept when they open their practices, then they turn them away, so many people on medicaid have no choice but to go to the ER. it's sad, but true, and the reason why is because medicaid pays so little-we could bill medicaid $60.00, and get reimbursed $5.00.

 

[SaraJayne]

Around here, between 9pm and 9am, the ER is your only option.

I've only had to make one ER trip with my kids (at 3am in the middle of a blizzard ), and that required a 6 day hospitalization, so I'm considering that one a warranted trip.

 

[honugirl]

I hate going to the ER. The last time I was there I had a blood clot in my leg after ankle surgery and it was getting worse, even with the blood thinners. I sat in the waiting room waiting to be seen with a kid with a slight temp (100.1), a cold, and a sprained finger. I finally was seen, but promptly discharged because it was St. Patrick's Day and they had to make room for the drunks. I only use the ER in extreme emergencies.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I am a guy. I have to be certain that nature will not cure me to go to the doctor. Same with my kids. It is a good thing that they have a mother.

 

[Darcy03231]

We don't have any 24 hour clinics where I live. From 9 pm to 8 am the only option is the ER. That being said, I would only go if it were truly an emergency - broken bones, cut that needed stitches, exceptionally high fever, out of control pain, etc.

 

[Tink888]

Even with our insurance a trip to the ER will cost us 300.00 out of pocket each and every time so we are definitely not ER Happy. Unless someone is bleeding profusely or not breathing we suck it up and wait for the doctor's office to open.

 

[AKL_Megs]

I am a guy. I have to be certain that nature will not cure me to go to the doctor. Same with my kids. It is a good thing that they have a mother.

As a woman (but not a mother), I am the same way!

The last time I went to the doctor (other than the dentist for cleanings, and dermatologist for a mole removal) was last summer, at 1am when the pain of my strep throat was more than I could handle. Before that, I hadn't been to the doctor since I was 12. I am 27 now!

So far, nature has cured all of my colds just fine... along with tea and honey, hot toddies, and OTC cold meds!

 

[freckles and boo]

Well, yes. A "Code Red" or "Code Blue" type of situation, with not being able to breathe, is TOTALLY different!

The point a few people in the original thread were trying to make is that if you ignore asthma long enough (or underestimate it) it will become an emergency. I am really surprised how many parents are so cavalier about it.

 

[mjkacmom]

I am a guy. I have to be certain that nature will not cure me to go to the doctor. Same with my kids. It is a good thing that they have a mother.

LOL - DH once cut the top of his finger off with the hedge trimmers. Instead of waking me up from my nap (I was pregnant), he drove himself to the doctor, who took one look, and said "you need to go to the ER!" I woke up and found a note, and drove on over.

It took me a lot to convince him we needed to take a wheezy kid to the ER when breathing treatments weren't working (needed steroids), or when our 5 year old dd swallowed a quarter, and was choking (she had to be put out and scoped). Good thing I'm here!