Quote:
Originally Posted by perrjojo
Mack 184, I have no doubt that the ER employees are dedicated and work hard. Last night I did not see anyone whinning and asking for sandwiches and coffee. What I saw was a waiting room with at least 20 people, some who were frail and suffering. I saw patients helping one another to make the sitituation more tolerable. I understand that patients are treated based on order of severity but there just was NOT enough available help. i certainly never suggested that the help was inept. I also understand that the problem is financial and as our population grows and ages, it will only get worse. I know that this is a problem in all cities but just because it's that way everywhere, that doesn't make it ok. So how do we change this? I actually think most people DO know how emergency rooms work. They just feel the system is failing those in need....off my soap box know.
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Actually you would be amazed about how many people once they are into an ER room treat their nurses and techs as though they were waitresses. I know all of this way too well. My wife is an ER-NP (not at TVRH) and I know what she goes through night after night after night. Plus the people in that fraternity all talk and share war stories, and you wouldn't believe a lot of it.
The answer as I said in my original post is...MONEY. With Medicare reimbursements falling faster than pants at an orgy those hospitals that rely heavily on Medicare for revenue are in a nasty bind. TVRH receives more per-capita Medicare dollars than any US hospital. Unfortunately they do not have access to the kinds of dollars that help other hosptials balance the books.
There are plenty of people of means within TV who could consider leaving part of their estate to the hospital. The hospital is a charitable organization, and while TVRH DOES get a lot of volunteer help, they could almost use donations far more than they need the bodies, although in all honesty..if TVRH didn't have the large number of volunteers they'd be in worse shape than they are because they can barely afford to pay the staff they currently have. It'll get worse.
A lot of this is NOT of TVRH's making. Decisions made the Federal & State level have handcuffed at lot of their choices. But again.. the answer is...MONEY.