Recently on a really busy night we had a wait time of over an hour. Now one would think for an E.R. thats not very long, but the hour long wait was just to be triaged. Not to mention the forty five minute wait just to see the doctor. So all together we are talking about an hour and forty five minute wait to be triaged and seen. Now that’s pretty good compared to the national average of two hundred and twenty two minutes, thats three hours and forty two minutes. That’s according to Tom Costello from MSNBC’s nightly news. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15817906/
With these long wait times we have had some unfortunate problems arise. Most of this increase in wait time are due to the lack of resources available to those who don’t have health coverage. Or wait! could the long wait times be due to the drug seekers, hypochondriac’s, lazy doctor offices? At any rate people are increasingly using the E.R. for their personal doctor office, demand pain med’s, who seek tests that are unnecessary and unwarranted.
Now I would hate to sound too insensitive but if you knew me, many of you do, it’s not that hard. But on this rather busy night previously mentioned we had a real emergency. A man in his forty’s came in and asked to be seen. He stated his tooth hurt really bad and had to see a doctor right away. When we told him it would be a while he then asked how long. We let him know we do not know exactly how long it would be but we would call him when we were ready for him. He then said in a annoyed manner “So I am going to have to wait” as his alcohol breath is waffed in my face. I replied “Yes it’s going to be a while so please have a seat and we will call you up when we are ready for you.”
He then turned around and headed toward the door. On his way out he stopped at the candy dispenser, looked at the candy, grabbed the top of the dispenser with one hand wrapped the other around the base and pulled. This allowed the top to come off. He then reached into the candy, grabbed a handful, placed the top back, and continued on out the door. I then said out loud to the clerk “I bet that candy is really going to help with his tooth pain.”
Thank you for the nice post.
Stella
May 5th, 2007
I didn’t know the wait was that long. And, did this man with a tooth problem hear what you said? Did he get all angry with you and want to fight? Because he was drunk and all; he could have been belligerent.
Matt
May 6th, 2007
Oh, he was rude thats for sure. We called his name 5 times over a forty five minute period and he was nowhere to be found. Then he finally came to the window mad at us for not calling his name. I told him “We called your name five times and you did not answer, maybe you should stick around if you want to be seen and keep your hands out of the candy machine”. He then replied “I have been around” to which I replied “Being outside and smoking is not showing us you have a emergency”. Then he changed his tone and said “Your right I am sorry Man I’ll stay here.” I then told him “O.K. thank you, have a seat and we will see you next.” After that, just to be safe, I had our security take the candy machine out of the waiting room. As they removed the candy machine he said to them “Its best you get that away from me its just making my tooth hurt more.”
Spit
May 14th, 2007
What a penis!
Matt
May 16th, 2007