Quote:
Originally Posted by mommieswamie
I just figured out why The Vllages Hospital ER is so busy. The only way to be admitted to the hospital is to go through the ER.
Friday I called my doctor as a condition for which I had been in the hospital twice since Christmas had returned with a vengeance. He said he was going to admit me but that I needed to go to the ER. The last time I went through the ER for hospital admittance, the triage nurse told me that my doctor could call ahead with orders and that would save some time. He did call and was told the hospital was not taking orders over the phone from doctors. I asked if I could just stay home until there was a bed available as it was clear that I needed to be in the hospital, but it was not an emergency. No again - I was told that I needed to go to the ER. It was the only way to be admitted to the hospital.
Desperate for help, knowing that I needed to be on IV antibiotics immediately, yet just being unwilling and unable to face the lengthy wait at The Villages hospital ER, I went online to check the ER wait times that are posted for a nearby hospital system. I then drove to that hospital where I waited a short period of time and was admitted through their ER. Granted, I do not have my regular primary care doctor, but my admitting doctor knows my primary care doctor well and he called him. The infectious disease doctor that I needed has privileges here, so here I am.
My infectious disease doctor confirmed that there had not been a direct admit to The Villages hospital in a long time.
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I just spent a long wait in the hallway of the emergency room along with a lot of other ill persons. The only way I would agree with my wife to go the emergency room in the first place was if transported by ambulance. I really needed this type of transport because of being so ill and very dehydrated, I would never do the ambulance thing is not necessary. Sadly I spent over 8 hours in the hallway, the place was packed. I hate to guess how long the wait would have been if I had walked into the emergency room. It is well known that it is best to go to the Villages Hospital is by ambulance if needing attention. I truly believe the staff did the best they could for me considering the overwhelming circumstances. THE PROBLEM, AND THERE DEFINATELY IS A PROBLEM, IS THAT THE SINGLE HOSPITAL FACILITY SIMPLY CANNOT HANDLE THE 100,000 PLUS POPULATION. Ocala with a population less than the Villages has no less than three major hospitals.