I had been helping my Mother a few years, and had a few trips to ER. She had heart problems for one! However, always waited! It scared me to wait so long, but wait we did. THEN, I was away, my Dad called about Mom,I didn't 'trust him to drive at night in distress. I said call the ambulance. Guess what, right in & taken care of! So, if we were concerned enough to want her to seek help, we called the ambulance. We didn't take advantage, but realized those guys really can help & know what they are doing! They were actually a "life saver' on more than one occasion.
Originally Posted by
Jan in VA
I found this topic interesting as I've noticed in the past 2-3 years a change in many doctor's offices where I live. Most of them now have signs advising the patient to tell the front desk if they have waited more than given number of minutes, usually 15-25. It's actually been a while since I've had to wait in a doctor's office, sometimes to the point that I have to laugh because I've just gotten started on some article I wanted to read and was called to the back.
My family care/primary care doc calls me his favorite patient, even in front of his nurses. But if I had to wait over an hour each time I went in, I'd change docs in a heart beat.
I just wish our extremely busy (2nd busiest in the state) emergency department could get it together; it's been horrific for literally years. I once took my 88 year old father in at 10pm for chest pains -CHEST PAINS, mind you! - and we sat in the waiting room for 45 minutes BEFORE he was even triaged. And that happened only because I made a little scene about it. Thank God he was having stomach/reflux issues not heart, but WE didn't know that and neither did they at first.
When I torn my achilles tendon from my heel last week, I went to our adorable little county hospital where they treat you like family -- love that place
-- and they were so dear to me and my mother at 2am. Exam, xrays, labs, warm blankets, in/out in 2 hours.
Jan in VA