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Thread: Would you wait?

  1. #1
    Stingy DM Veldan Rath's Avatar
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    Default Would you wait?

    A question that has been running through my head since yesterday.

    Around 8:30 pm my foster son was displaying extreme discomfort in his ear and was suffering through a cough. I took him to the emergency room at a catholic hospital...no waiting on a Saturday! Turned out to be a nasty ear infection.

    Anyhoo, after the very pleasant encounter, I started thinking about a true emergency.

    What would you do if you were 20 min from a hospital and had a greviously injured child? Would you wait 15 to 20 min for an ambulance or race to the ER yourself?
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  2. #2
    I think that really depends upto the circumstances.
    Quote Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer View Post
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  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Veldan Rath View Post
    What would you do if you were 20 min from a hospital and had a greviously injured child? Would you wait 15 to 20 min for an ambulance or race to the ER yourself?
    That extremely depends on the injury. If it has anything that has to do with back or neck injuries, wait for the ambulance.
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  4. #4
    Let sleeping tigers lie Khendraja'aro's Avatar
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    Not to mention that "racing to the ER" is not a very good idea in and of itself.

    Then again, for the really time-critical issues we have helicopters over here.
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  5. #5
    considering an ambulance ride around here is $600+, is not covered by insurance, and takes you past 2 other hospitals before arriving at a 3rd one, which is always the busiest....
    We drive to the closest one, and there is never a wait.

    The one time Brandy called 911 was when Ocean collided with her brother and knock her self out cold, but she came to by the time the ambulance got there, so they left after watching her play for a few minutes.

    When Scarlett had a nurse maids elbow a couple of years ago we went to an after hours doctor, and a few weeks ago when she took a 6 foot fall to concrete we didn't even bother with a doctor because she had a check up a few days later (and a really awesome bruise by then too).
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  6. #6
    We live 1 street away from the town's hospital. In fact when people ask where we live the easiest way to describe it is as "the new estate by the hospital". To get to the hospital (which we're doing regularly for ultrasounds etc at the moment) is either a 5 minute walk or about 5 minutes to go less than a mile but have to find a parking space.
    Quote Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer View Post
    ℬeing upset is understandable, but be upset at yourself for poor planning, not at the world by acting like a spoiled bitch during an interview.

  7. #7
    I live a couple miles from three of the best hospitals in the world, so unless moving the person would require specialist help or immediate stabilization, why not drive? The only people I know who take ambulances are either the very elderly with cardiovascular complications or emergent trauma situations (e.g. car crashes). Things like broken limbs, bad cuts, dizzy spells, high fevers, etc.... an ambulance isn't going to add anything other than cost.

  8. #8
    I can't drive yet and we don't have a car atm anyway, but we live 10 mins walk from the ER so after making a reasonable assessment I'd call a cab if that'd be okay or get an ambulance there if necessary. Priority 1 ambulance transport is rarely very far away in this town.
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  9. #9
    Like Rand, I am very close to my town's hospital. It would take about as much time to walk to the emergency room as it would to get an ambulance to take you there (not counting the emergency examination and prep the EMTs in the ambulance would do, just the dispatch and travel time). Driving there myself is the timeliest option.
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  10. #10
    In most cases I would drive.

  11. #11
    I'm a 5 minute drive from a Level One Trauma Hospital, and would drive in most cases. I would wait for EMTs for a spinal cord injury (or if moving them could make things worse, like wiggin suggested).



    Veldan, since you know an ear ache with cough isn't a "true emergency"....I'm wondering why you went to an ER at all? Don't you have a Pediatrician or Family Doctor who takes after-hours calls? Aren't there any Urgent Care or Express Care clinics where you live?

  12. #12
    Stingy DM Veldan Rath's Avatar
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    After hour calls on a Satruday night? Also, this is my new foster. He doesn't have a real pediatrician until I can set him up with one/find out from the state his last one...

    I did go to a quick care first, only to find it had closed 50 mins earlier.
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  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Veldan Rath View Post
    After hour calls on a Satruday night?
    Absolutely! Most physicians share their practice with a partner (or a group), take turns being On-Call, and have an Answering Service. That can either be a non-skilled phone operator service, or qualified RNs or CNPs able to triage over the phone.

    Also, this is my new foster. He doesn't have a real pediatrician until I can set him up with one/find out from the state his last one...

    I did go to a quick care first, only to find it had closed 50 mins earlier.
    Wait, you have a new foster child in addition to your two adopted foster kids? Wow, you're like a superman superparent.

    Do you think it should have been part of the foster parent process to have a designated pediatrician first?

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer View Post
    considering an ambulance ride around here is $600+, is not covered by insurance.....
    Ah, another reminder that our Insurance Industry has been acting like a wolf in sheep's clothing. Selling junk policies for great profits. Reminiscent of the sub-prime mortgage market. Fraudulent. Predatory. Destructive.

  15. #15
    Stingy DM Veldan Rath's Avatar
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    Since it was something a doc needed to do an exam for, a call would have been useless.

    And yes getting a doc right away would have been nice, but the DHHS is not the most organized entity. It's like pulling teeth for info sometimes.

    And thank you for the compliment

    I do wish more people would join the foster parent club, just doubling our meager numbers would have a huge impact.
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  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Veldan Rath View Post
    A question that has been running through my head since yesterday.

    Around 8:30 pm my foster son was displaying extreme discomfort in his ear and was suffering through a cough. I took him to the emergency room at a catholic hospital...no waiting on a Saturday! Turned out to be a nasty ear infection.

    Anyhoo, after the very pleasant encounter, I started thinking about a true emergency.

    What would you do if you were 20 min from a hospital and had a greviously injured child? Would you wait 15 to 20 min for an ambulance or race to the ER yourself?
    I called an ambulance for my daughter when we lived in Maine because she wasn't responding as usual in the middle of the night. The fire department beat the ambulance to the house by about 5 minutes (this might be sooner if the fire dept is closer than the ambulance service). During a 911 call for a medical emergency, the fire dept also responds and is usually quicker. 15-20 minutes for an ambulance, may be only 5 minutes for the fire department. Both are usually equally trained in providing emergency care. While the fire dept doesn't transport you to the hospital, they can administer aide until the ambulance arrives. Something to consider anyway.
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  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Veldan Rath View Post
    Since it was something a doc needed to do an exam for, a call would have been useless.

    And yes getting a doc right away would have been nice, but the DHHS is not the most organized entity. It's like pulling teeth for info sometimes.

    And thank you for the compliment

    I do wish more people would join the foster parent club, just doubling our meager numbers would have a huge impact.
    Sounds like DHHS should assign every foster child with a social worker AND a physician. Even a phone contact for pediatricians or family doctors at the local hospital/clinic is better than nothing. And if their medical records were available digitally that would be even better.

    For things like ear infections....they often call in a Rx for the weekend and "see you on Monday" for the physical exam to confirm the diagnosis. (I'm assuming they prescribed an Ab in the ER, right?) They can do that for possible strep throat, or write the script when a quick-strep test comes back negative, too. When all signs point to an Ab, there's really not much point in dragging it out, or using expensive ER services.

    Let me guess -- DHHS picks up the tab for the ER visit, any tests, physician's fees, and prescriptions?

  18. #18
    Stingy DM Veldan Rath's Avatar
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    assign a doctor? Yeah...docs would love that.

    It appears in this case the new kid was in between docs...long story, but in this case not really DHHS's fault. They can only manage so much with so many kids.

    kids in the system are on MaineCare, so we all pay for it...even my adopted soon still has it, even though he's on our insurance and that is what we use for him. Kids from the system stay on it until 18 automatically even when adopted.
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  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Veldan Rath View Post
    assign a doctor? Yeah...docs would love that.
    Yes, many would love that. Especially ER doctors -- and parents who know ear aches aren't a true emergency, but don't have a family doctor and/or pediatrician to call.

    It appears in this case the new kid was in between docs...long story, but in this case not really DHHS's fault. They can only manage so much with so many kids.

    kids in the system are on MaineCare, so we all pay for it...even my adopted soon still has it, even though he's on our insurance and that is what we use for him. Kids from the system stay on it until 18 automatically even when adopted.
    Physicians join group practices and insurance networks all the time, it's more common than being in solo practice. Some obviously participate in MaineCare, too.

    I'm surprised at your ho-hum attitude about the gap in continuity-of-care, and :shrug: at "we all pay for it", even when it's the most expensive route of delivery.

  20. #20
    Stingy DM Veldan Rath's Avatar
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    It's not ho hum, it's accepting reality. He doesn't have a PCP at this time, we are trying to set one up, and even if he did, we wouldn't know who it was as DHHS is not the best org for dispensing info in an upfront fashion. I was told of a tooth extraction the day before it was to take place! And was never told of a therapist appoonemt, so we missed that.

    This is what happens to kids that are in this situation and placed in a home on an emergency basis. Stuff falls through the cracks and the foster parents have to play detective.

    And don't twist the MaineCare into an emergency room debate. We all pay for MaineCare, it's our low income coverage (and kids under state custody, we would have taken him to the emergency room if under our insurance as well...cause we don't know his medical history.
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  21. #21
    Just saying, that 'reality' sucks. Those agencies should coordinate better, for the sake of the child and foster parents, too. You already told us about the rigorous screening process you had to go through -- it's not okay they didn't provide his complete medical file, or make sure he had a pediatrician, before placing him. We all pay for kids in the system, but your family and the boy shouldn't have to 'pay' the price of gaps or failures, or play detective. Seriously.

  22. #22
    Stingy DM Veldan Rath's Avatar
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    I agree for the most part. However, DHHS can't really demand a doctor to take a new patient. Also, they didn't seem to know that one PCP had discharged and the bio-mom never set up the new recommended PCP.

    Trust me DHHS, is not run by a bunch of Sherlock Holmes, and some things they finis freaking mind boggling, but I don't expect them to be omniscient, and I would not want them to be omnipotent.
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  23. #23
    Senior Member Flixy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RandBlade View Post
    I think that really depends upto the circumstances.
    This. If you need immediate attention, the ambulance will still be faster at your place than you will be at the hospital, but the ambulance comes with paramedics and equipment. A painful ear, I probably would not call an ambulance. In fact, when you call, they'd probably connect you to a GP, who will triage whether you even need to go to the emergency room, showing up there is not really how it's supposed to work here. They prefer if you call first, triage over the phone, and either send you an ambulance, invite you over, or make an appointment with your GP if it's not that urgent. Emergency room is supposed to be for emergencies, after all.

    I have only called an ambulance once, and there was someone knocked out outside while it was cold, so I think that was the good choice. Waiting time was minimal, because while I was on a phone an ambulance happened to drive by, saw us, pulled over and I just handed my phone to the paramedic while still on the phone with the 112 operator. Can't beat that!
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  24. #24
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    Since I haven't owned a car for the last 10 years I'd have to either wait for the ambulance or call a cab, which probably would take as long if not longer where I live. If I could walk to the taxi-stand though, I'd do that.

    A month or so ago I was in a bit of a panic about some persistent pain in my chest. I called the number of my physician, got told he was off-duty and the suggestion to wait untill office hours or press 1 for an emergency. I first got a nurse who asked me detailed information about my condition who then decided that even though she didn't think there was an actual emergency (if you can pinpoint the pain appearantly that's an indication of a lesser problem) she would have a physician call me back. Within 15 minutes I got a call back from a physician who was with me on the phone for about 15 minutes, who confirmed the opinion of the nurse, but advised me to see my family physician at the first occasion.
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