Last Saturday I stayed in our local ER for 7 hours, 3 of which were waiting for physical therapist to come and evaluate me and educate me as to how to use a walker. Seems like a huge waste of Medicare/Insurance funds. Am sending a complaint form to the hospital but I suspect nothing will happen. Anyone have this experience and what did you do? I heard that the ER has to keep a Medicare patient for at least 4 hours to get reimbursed. Hope this isn't true!
A 7 hour wait is NOTHING these days. That is average. Were you in the hallway on a gurney or on a room. If you were in a room, you really have nothing to complain about.
And as far as the ER not getting paid unless the patient is there for 4 hours - I suspect you are confusing the rules about time frame spent in the ER and being admitted under Medicare- I forget the actual rule and wording, but it's something to do with you can be in the ER up to 48 hours without being considered "admitted". The ER will get paid for treatment rendered whether it takes 4 hours or 4 minutes.
Like all other places, there are too many patients and not enough medical personnel to handle them in a timely fashion. Also, more and more doctors are refusing to see patients when they are sick (??), or else they can't fit a patient in for an appointment for weeks, so many people don't have a choice but to go to the ER for something they might ordinarily see their PCP.
I also suspect that ER's don't really WANT to speed people through, because then even more people will be more tempted to go to the ER rather than their PCP for every little thing.
Unfortunately, by the nature of insurance changes, many will now be unlikely to afford insurance, and our ERs will be even more full.
Very sorry this was the case. I imagine you will get the rote response. But glad you are writing them.
My own ER experience I would say was at least that long. Arrived. Waited to be seen. Was seen. Long history taken. IV placed. Eventually a CT scan to r/o kidney stone they suspected. Came back negative for findings. Pain remained. Were expecting a doctor in to read a complicated scan on another patient. Ran it by him. He found a diverticulitis in the Transverse bowel, unusual place for it. Medications ordered. And yeah, between each step a whole lot of waiting with others all around and in pain.
ERs admit and work around a constant "triage" which I had to do as an RN when floated there. When the stab wound comes in, your broken and now set arm goes to back burner fast, and it's all hands on deck.
Afraid it's a matter of timing.
The last several times I've been in the ER with my Mom (age 96) here in MN in a metro/suburban hospital, we waited 8 hrs. Then another trip to an ER in suburban FL last spring. Even longer than 8 hrs.
FYI I grew up in a bedroom community of NYC. Back then (1970s) the average wait in an ER was 8 hrs.
Nowadays, the US is short 30,000 doctors and the Boomers are mostly all above 65 now and needing a lot of healthcare resources. It's going to be this way for the foreseeable future.
If you had an orthopedic injury, perhaps you should research if large orthopedic offices. They are popping up as an alternative to urgent care.
An ambulance comes with enormous cost in dollars at times, but you will be delivered into a cubicle unless they are on serious divert triage and you are in a hallway--you WILL have hospital personnel on you at once and they will have been communicating with the ambulance as you enter.
Folks, our health care system, as regards this, is bad and going to get much much worse as people drop their insurance now. This is a good warning to us all.
I would call mom's ER to let them know to contact me when she needed discharge. I would not go rushing to stay with her while she was in good care and probably sleeping. Staying with her till almost sunrise would not help if I had to return to work the next evening.
It's important to have several plans of action in place for different scenarios..
Make sure it is covered on your insurance.
I'm confused though why a PT appt is considered an emergency?
Aren't these kinds of appts made in advance through an MD referral.
A social worker or nurse or assistant at MD office should be able to assist with walker usage.
Gena / Touch Matters
On the funny side, at one point I was bitten by a dog at work. I had to go to the ER though it wasn’t a bad bite but since I was at work when it happened I still had to go. The vet I was working with cleaned the bite and put a temporary bandage on it using red vet wrap since that happened to be the color we had at the time. When I got to the ER I received immediate attention because they thought the bandage was totally soaked with blood! I had to reassure them that I was fine to wait!
Sadly, ER wait times are quite long across the country. Seven hours is not out of the ordinary or an extraordinary wait time. Many ER wait times are 7 hours before you even get into a room.
You can most certainly send a complaint if you wish. There will be a filter down to the ER staff. Many times the ER is over saturated with patients and staff can needs to efficiently access patients to give them the best healthcare possible.