Emergency Room Protocols and Turning people away

[gscraig]

This is based on two experiences communicated to me from a relative who went to the emergency room with flu like symptoms.

As of Thursday evening a relative went to an emergency room at roughly 2:00am, and after being chareged the co-pay, was then seen by a doctor and told immediately that she cannot be treated due to not having a fever. She explained that she's been feeling really sick, tired, and the last time she started feeling this bad, she ended up with bronchitis and the flu. She sated that she wanted to prevent that from surfacing. The doctor handed her a prescription, and told her that's all he can do. He left the room with the witnessing nurse and my relative overheard the nurse commenting to the doctor that he could have at least did some tests. I asked her if the emergency room was crowded and she stated only two people were there. Ultimately, they left. She did not fill the prescription, stating that it was expensive cough medicine.

The next morning she contacted the CDC (out of all places) to complain and they said that they would send a form to her to complete and contact the ER personnel involved. She also now had a fever, and managed to get a anti-biotic prescription called in.

She also tried contacting her private doctor whom office and personnel were all gone on a retreat. nice.

Now, as of Sunday evening November 15, she started feeling sick again and her fever was back and up to 103. She decided to go to the same emergency room again, being that she had a high fever. After being assessed her co-pay (which is an expensive co-pay) she saw a doctor and once again was told that he cannot treat her. He also acknowledged seeing on her file that she was there days prior and the complaint from the CDC. I again asked her, how many were in the waiting room, and she said "none", it was empty. Similar to the first time, the emergency room is likely empty because peope ar
e being turned away.

This became an ordeal with security ultimately being called to have her removed. However, she did say that the doctor while rambling had commented that "They've been adamant about them (doctors) not taking certain patients". Who "they" are, I don't know.

Today she saw her private doctor and didn't get tested either, but was given some instructions. Her private doctor told her that the Health Department has communicated that they can only test persons whom are chronically ill. She commented that the ER doctors should have at least gave her thermaflu, but she could not give it to her now, because it's really being given to those with H1N1, and concluded that she didn't have that.

This seems to be the first response initiative via the declared National Emergency (at least in the state of Ohio). I can see a variety of reasons good and bad as to why this is being done, but the bottom line is,...Unless you are sick (regardless of ER occupancy, which was the precedence via the declared National Emergency) you are basically on your own.

[Humble Janitor]

I would go to a different hospital if at all possible. It's just totally wrong to be turned down like this but there are several hospitals less than a hour away from me, in case the main hospital gives me problems (which ironically, I will be working there).

It certainly sounds fishy.

What we all need is an army of lawyers to go after the swine flu vaccine makers, the doctors that turn down patients and those who force people to get vaccinated.

It's about the only good time a lawyer would be of good use.

[gscraig]

Agreed HJ, but it's not quite that simple unfortunately.

I actually asked her why didn't she go to another ER. What's odd about this is that this is an ER we've all one time or another visited and this is unprecedented for this Hospital.
At any rate, I've called 4 of the 5 major ER's and all, but one, stated that patients may be turned away at doctors discretion. The one that did not, stated that they would treat anyone with whatever symptoms...This also happens to be the University Hospital (which is the largest).

This is something I can spot check throughout the state to see what the responses are and confirm or identify any new protocols.

[morguana]

im sorry about your relative.....but i cant believe that she went to hospital in the first place, she should have gone to her gp or out of hours practice (which i see that she did the next day). of course the hospital wont treat what seems to be minor flu like symptoms, to be honest the fever is the bodys own natural defence against infections, a temperature of 103 is not critical or anything to worry about, should start worrying if it goes to 104 for a sustained length of time (as opposed to spiking). your relative needed bed rest, fasting and plenty of fluids......feeling sick (bodies way of getting rid of anything inside that may hamper recovery) and horrid is just the nature of illness. if she needs antibiotics for secondary infections afterwards, ie bronchitis, then she should go back to her gp......

im sorry if this seems harsh but hospitals are places for the really sick to go, and taking up the medical peoples time for what appears to be a non emergancy is not really ok. however if anyone has these symptoms, one must seek emergancy treatment
"Symptoms that would require an ER visit include shortness of breath, chest pain, an altered level of consciousness and the feeling you might have pneumonia."

bou x

[morguana]

ps i hope she recovers quickly
bou x

[gscraig]

Hello Boudicca,

I agree and very well aware of personal protocols in terms of illness, as well would be my relative.

However, I did not list all of her symptoms aside from being sick and tired.
There was not a need to go into the specifics in order to drive the point of the post. I will say she did get much worse as she feared, but as late she is now doing much better. Thanks for the well wishes.
The chance of it getting worse was her concern to begin with, after already treating the symptoms herself.

The driver of the post was that if the ER is empty as it was in both scenarios, she created no burden in terms of medical priority, being that there was none. Therefore, rather wrong or right for why she went (and the cost to her financially), if you are going to accept a co-pay (for her it is a $100.00 which will be billed), then you should as well see the patient. If you know up front you are turning patients away whom have no fever with such symptoms, then that can be established during registration when you are asked what's wrong, and then asked for a co-pay. SHe should have taken my MMS like I suggested to her. :-)

I will correct a mistype where I indicated that the last time these symptoms surfaced, she ended up with either bronchitis (severe) and/or pneumonia...not the flu as indicated in my post.

I actually came back to this link to share the following opinion with everyone;
I think this action that was requested by the Health Board is actually beneficial in terms of preventing the inflation of H1n1 cases. Due to a project I was involved with that included communication to the Health Boards, I have a strong feeling this move (despite it's poor execution) is to our benefit.

I could be wrong, but hey.

[morguana]

glad shes on the mend, it is so yuck when one is unwell......hope she is resting and eating plenty of greens, it can take a while to get up to stength again. in agreement with you re prevention of spreading h1n1......
love
bou x