TV emergency room

[perrjojo]

I have heard horror stories about our hospital emergency room but I got to experience it first hand last night. My husband has been having problems with asthma and saw our doctor on Tuesday. He was given meds and told to come back if he got worse. Last night he SUDDENLY got worse. We called the doctor but got no response. The Urgent Care office was closed sooooooo we went to the ER. He was promptly called back and had his vitals checked and then told to go back and wait in the lobby. After a while patients started getting restless and comparing stories. One woman had come in and they inserted an IV and told her she would be getting interveinous antibiotics. That was 10 hours earlier. One man was bleeding and needed sutures and had been waiting 5 hours. There were two very elderly people in wheelchairs who were on oxygen and were so weak that they could not hold their heads up. One of them had been there so long his oxygen tank had run out so they gave him another tank. One man was very frail and in a wheelchair and had been there alone for a very long time and needed to go to the restroom so the bleeding man assisted him to the toilet. One man covered in blankets and in a wheelchair looked very ill but his family finally gave up since he could no longer sit up and left. I don't know where they went. Several more gave up and left and several more came in. The last person coming in was told it might be a 24 hour wait. My husband decided he was not going to die unless he stayed there, so we too left. He suffered through the night and he saw our doctor this morning. I know Emergency rooms are busy and crowed but this was shameful. I might add that while my husband and I were concerned for his well being, my heart was breaking for some very sick and very elderly people who just really shouldn't be left sitting in a waiting room for hours on end. I hope they are doing well today.

[cquick]

what a sad story.

[gerryann]

This story made me cry. This is so very wrong and sad. I'm sorry you had to go through this. It is totally unacceptable!! Our hands are tied. Words fail me.

[CFrance]

A 24-hour wait in an emergency room? What's wrong with that picture?

[geri317]

Very scary story. I just pray I never have to go the ER in the Villages. What are we to do?

[perrjojo]

Hopefully life and death incidents were being taken care of but the situation with the very frail and elderly was heartbreaking.

[Villager Dude]

what a sad story.

I wonder, unless it is life or death , if it would be better to drive to Ocala ?

[billethkid]

These stories have been talked about for years. Does anybody but me wonder why the powers that be allow it (?) to continue?

There are other options outside TV......but some say they are too far to go.
How far could one go in the same 3-5 hour time waiting in TV ER?

Until or unless something changes TV hospital is not on my list of choices.

btk

[NotGolfer]

Same thing happens in other cities. Not saying it's right!! Just saying it's not just T.V.'s hospital!! Have heard this story from the area from where we moved here from, heard family members talk about it in their communities ....just saying it's not an exclusive problem!!

[SALYBOW]

munroe regional

[mommieswamie]

The last time I went to TV Hospital ER, I waited 12 hours for a room and 16 hours to see a doctor. As I had gone there on the instructions of my primary care to be admitted, I thought it was the only thing to do. My experience was the same as the OP - sick, suffering people waiting hours and hours. While I was sick and suffering too, it was heartbreaking to watch the many others in the same situation.

I vowed I would never go there again.

Indeed, the next time I was instructed by my doctor to go to the ER for admittance, I went to Florida Hospital Waterman instead. While my doctor did not have admitting priviledges there and I wondered what kind of trouble I would be in with my doctor, everything worked out. The ER doctors at Waterman took one look at me and it was clear that I needed to be admitted. My primary care doctor was phoned later and his only comment was that he wanted me to go wherever I could get treatment and get well. He was not the least bit upset with me.

(As an aside - I have now been hospitalized 5 times in the last three months for an infection that responds well to antibiotics, but returns within a day or two of the completion of the antibiotics. Sunday I am going to Mayo Clinic for a week of appointments at the recommendation of my local doctors.)

[dillywho]

I know I've said this before, but I have nothing but praise for TVH and its ER. Yes, they do take the life or death cases first. That is why patients are triaged.

Once again, I still have my husband today because of TVH and their entire staff. On Monday the 25th of March, he went in because of profuse sweating and not feeling well. He was examined and the decision made to keep him overnight. Early the next morning, he coded and without their swift actions, he would be dead instead of home now. He spent the next 2 days in ICU on a vent (after Dr. Hurt put in two new stents) in very critical condition, and the next days on the Cardiac Unit on the 4th floor.

I grew up in a medical family and have never seen care any better than what he received the entire time. The ICU is like none I have ever seen. Other hospitals we have been in, ICU visiting hours were restricted to 10 minute visits 4 times a day and limited to family only and/or clergy. Here the only time visitation is not allowed is during shift change which mostly has to do with HIPPA Regulations. No visitation is 6:30-8:30 both a.m. and p.m.. They prefer you leave at ten but is not mandatory.

I also witnessed nurses going above and beyond for their patients even after their shifts had ended. One nurse went so far as to change the bed for one of her patients.....not the linens....the entire bed. The one he had been given was a loaner from the ICU which are bigger and taller beds and he was very short. The one it replaced was broken and had been taken for repair. At the time he came in, the loaner was brought into service in order to get him into a room and out of the ER. She found one that was awaiting assignment and changed that one out for the one he was in and had housekeeping change and ready the loaner for someone else. She was already ready to go home but put her patient very much first.

By the same token, I also witnessed several patients who were very demanding and never satisfied. The first guy in the room with my husband was one of them. He complained incessantly and was very upset because all the rooms in TVH are not private. He refused to share the bathroom with anyone (no biggie when we got in there because hubby wasn't allowed out of bed, anyway). I wanted to tell him that he was in a hospital, not a five-star hotel. He finally checked himself out AMA (against medical advice) and left. Another one kept demanding that his doctor come in so he would know if he could go home and stayed on the nurses to call him. (I'm sure he is the only patient his doctor has, you know.)

I could go on and on, but you can probably get the picture. This hospital and its doctors have saved my husband twice now. I don't know how much more we could ask. His first heart attack, he would never have made it to another hospital in time.

Maybe rather than going after the hospital, all this should take another direction for several 24-hr urgent care centers instead of the limited-hour ones. Sounds like there is definitely a need.

[patfla06]

I'm sorry to say that it's that kind of wait time in the
Tampa area E.R.'s also.

I'm really surprised to hear this about The Villages
Where the population is NOT huge like in the cities.

I feel so bad for everyone subjected to that experience.

[SusanOfWoodbury]

After reading your note I feel very sad for your husband and all the other people waiting to be seen...I believe Urgent Care is waste of money, if they are not open 24 hours a day. People have emergencies at all hours, not just when the urgent care is open...I think that if the hospital has an ER, than they need to staff that ER to take care of all people.. Nothing will probably change till someone in the ER dies for non treatment....sad, but true...

[skip0358]

Article in yesterdays paper on Ambulance drop off times at ERs. Seems TVRH isn't the only long wait. when an Ambulance has to wait 45+ minutes to get a patient transferred to a Hosp. ER you can bet that ER is just as bad as TVRH. Plain and simple there are WAY to many people for the amount of ER beds and very few Urgent Cares stay open late so what choice do you have?

[dillywho]

Article in yesterdays paper on Ambulance drop off times at ERs. Seems TVRH isn't the only long wait. when an Ambulance has to wait 45+ minutes to get a patient transferred to a Hosp. ER you can bet that ER is just as bad as TVRH. Plain and simple there are WAY to many people for the amount of ER beds and very few Urgent Cares stay open late so what choice do you have?

That was my point exactly. People who are not in need of emergency care are being seen in all ER's across the country. Too many are using them as their primary care. I say this because every single day my husband was in the hospital, I passed by the ER waiting room at all hours and it was full except Easter Weekend. The ones I observed then did not look in any distress which leads me to believe they had brought someone in to be seen and were waiting to be called in to be with them. Once, there was nobody but staff in there.

True emergencies do not observe holidays (such as in the case of the OP and some of the others with the same experiences).

[bonrich]

In reference to TV Emergency Room: This is totally unacceptable. Having been in the medical field for many years, I recognize there are many issues that need to be addressed. Not only should elderly people not be sitting in wheelchairs in the waiting room, nor should people with asthma who are unstable not be waiting, a person who is bleeding for five hours should have had the sutures done hours earlier, and certainly someone on an oxygen tank should have been taken into the ER, if only in the hall, to be monitored until appropriate care could be ordered, etc. A 24 hour wait in any ER is unacceptable. Many issues need to be addressed by the Hospital Administration, VP of Nursing, Supervisor of the ER on that shift, Nurse Manager of the ER as well as the input and output of the ER. I have noticed by the many negative posts about this ER that there are not enough beds, not enough staff to include RN's, ER physicians and/or Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants as well as transport people. I realize that hospitals do not want to divert to other hospitals as that is money in their pocket but in cases like this it seems like it should have been looked at and perhaps a different decision made for some of the people waiting in the ER. People working in the health care field need to be humanistic and caring and concerned about others that need care in a ER, hospital setting or any other kind of health care institution.

[KARENNN]

...

[KARENNN]

Why can't they hire enough staff to meet a decent standard of care???

[Heartnsoul]

I have heard horror stories about our hospital emergency room but I got to experience it first hand last night. My husband has been having problems with asthma and saw our doctor on Tuesday. He was given meds and told to come back if he got worse. Last night he SUDDENLY got worse. We called the doctor but got no response. The Urgent Care office was closed sooooooo we went to the ER. He was promptly called back and had his vitals checked and then told to go back and wait in the lobby. After a while patients started getting restless and comparing stories. One woman had come in and they inserted an IV and told her she would be getting interveinous antibiotics. That was 10 hours earlier. One man was bleeding and needed sutures and had been waiting 5 hours. There were two very elderly people in wheelchairs who were on oxygen and were so weak that they could not hold their heads up. One of them had been there so long his oxygen tank had run out so they gave him another tank. One man was very frail and in a wheelchair and had been there alone for a very long time and needed to go to the restroom so the bleeding man assisted him to the toilet. One man covered in blankets and in a wheelchair looked very ill but his family finally gave up since he could no longer sit up and left. I don't know where they went. Several more gave up and left and several more came in. The last person coming in was told it might be a 24 hour wait. My husband decided he was not going to die unless he stayed there, so we too left. He suffered through the night and he saw our doctor this morning. I know Emergency rooms are busy and crowed but this was shameful. I might add that while my husband and I were concerned for his well being, my heart was breaking for some very sick and very elderly people who just really shouldn't be left sitting in a waiting room for hours on end. I hope they are doing well today.

Just Wait till the new Affordable Healthcare law kicks in. You've seen nothing yet!!! 30 million more coming in thanks to americans who voted for it. And us seniors will be the First ones to feel it.

[paulandjean]

Maybe instead of building another assisted living center,how about a new and larger hospital.

[George Bieniaszek]

Scary!! That is the proverbial "Achilles Heel" in The Villages. With over 100,000 residents here and with the average age where visits to doctors and hospitals are of a more frequent nature, this is a discussion that we have on a regular basis.

Not criticizing our dedicated health care professionals who have boundless energy and compassion working in a high stress environment, just feel that there is a dire need for another hospital or an expansion of our current hospital to correspond with the increasing population of The Villages.

[blueash]

Just Wait till the new Affordable Healthcare law kicks in. You've seen nothing yet!!! 30 million more coming in thanks to americans who voted for it. And us seniors will be the First ones to feel it.

Hopefully this will not be deleted as political, but you completely misunderstand the workings of the ACA. The ER's are in part overcrowded because people DON'T have insurance. ER's are required to provide evaluation without regard to the financial coverage of the patient. So the uninsured use the ER for primary care and minor illnesses. We still hear people say we don't need universal health insurance as poor people can get great free care in the ER, so everyone really already gets needed medical care. Once people have insurance, they will be able to go to primary care doctors and NP/PA's and not overcrowd the ER, and in fact get their care at much lower cost per incident. The ACA will hugely improve the ability of ER's to return to their mission of providing emergency care.

[graciegirl]

Scary!! That is the proverbial "Achilles Heel" in The Villages. With over 100,000 residents here and with the average age where visits to doctors and hospitals are of a more frequent nature, this is a discussion that we have on a regular basis.

Not criticizing our dedicated health care professionals who have boundless energy and compassion working in a high stress environment, just feel that there is a dire need for another hospital or an expansion of our current hospital to correspond with the increasing population of The Villages.

Our Village VA rep told us that plans to build a satillite hospital near Brownwood had been set aside to concentrate on enlarging the hospital near Spanish Springs. He said a larger hospital would attract more MDs.

Also, did you read in The Daily Sun a couple of days ago that Lake County EMS was changing their procedure to stay with folks they delivered to the ER so that they could remain available to other emergency calls.

Did I read and absorb that correctly?

I think our EMS in Sumter need to be equally released to be on call for emergencies. Shesamax recently reported a small brush fire near the fire station in Sanibel and the firemen couldn't respond because they had to remain WITH a patient that they had transported to the hospital.

I guess any changes like this would effect the price of medical care.. it seems simplistic, but probably isn't.

[skip0358]

TYRH is NOT the only local Hospital with long wait times in the ER. As for building a new Hospital that's the same laws as adding nursing homes ( check the other post on that topic ). There is or was another Hospital planned for down by Brownwood ( don't knowthe current status ) but the fact remains there are WAY to many people for the amount of ER spaces. To many people use the ER as a doctor, not enough people go to the Urgent Cares, not enough people go to or have a Doctor. I had to go to an Urgent Care last week as I was waiting my turn a guy walked in and said I'm not sitting here I'll go to the ER. That's not the way it should work. The ER stands for Emergency Room. Auto and Industrial Accidents, stroke, heart attack, falls, broken bones etc. There is only so much room in ANY ER use it wisely.
The Villages RH Urgent Care 8AM-8PM Daily
Exceptional Urgent Care 9AM-5PM M-F Sat.9AM-3:30PM Closed sunday
Lake Regional Urgent Care Care M,T,T,F 8:30-7PM W,S,S 8AM-5PM
441 Urgent Care 8AM-8PM Daily
Paramount Urgent Care 8AM-8PM Daily
Premier Urgent Care M-F 9AM - 7PM Sat 9AM- 3PM Sun 9AM-2PM

[rp001]

All I see and here are excuses for a totally mismanaged operation..I know first hand how horrible the experience is in that emergency room and how pitiful the care is for the hurt and sick folks waiting in that "emergency" room. I went through the hospital to find the cafeteria, after waiting many hours.. The place is opulent. It seems to me the money has been spent in all the wrong places. Simplify the decor and add STAFF. If they are compensated well enough, the staff will come. The Villages is notorious for poor treatment of employees and a "minimum wage lifestyle". There is just NO MIDDLE Class,just rich and working poor. It's disgusting and the price is being paid by all of us!

[graciegirl]

All I see and here are excuses for a totally mismanaged operation..I know first hand how horrible the experience is in that emergency room and how pitiful the care is for the hurt and sick folks waiting in that "emergency" room. I went through the hospital to find the cafeteria, after waiting many hours.. The place is opulent. It seems to me the money has been spent in all the wrong places. Simplify the decor and add STAFF. If they are compensated well enough, the staff will come. The Villages is notorious for poor treatment of employees and a "minimum wage lifestyle". There is just NO MIDDLE Class,just rich and working poor. It's disgusting and the price is being paid by all of us!


HOLD ON just a tad.

The hospital was BUILT by the developer but the operation of the Health System is NOT owned by the developer.

It is owned by the Health Alliance that owns the operation of the Leesburg hospital too.

The Villages hospital is leased to them. http://www.cfhalliance.org/

Could you further explain your comments about "poor treatment of its employees and minimum wage lifestyle?"

Restaurants and other businesses simply lease their facilities from The Developer. All of Florida share a lower wage scale than say...New York city or Los Angeles.

[Didiwinbob]

The CEO needs to step up and If this hospital has any funding through the state should be audited. As a community this should addressed to the hospital board with a formal complaint. If the ER is so full they should not except patients. There must be a standard that is not being followed. My opinion.

[NIPAS K-9]

i have heard horror stories about our hospital emergency room but i got to experience it first hand last night. My husband has been having problems with asthma and saw our doctor on tuesday. He was given meds and told to come back if he got worse. Last night he suddenly got worse. We called the doctor but got no response. The urgent care office was closed sooooooo we went to the er. He was promptly called back and had his vitals checked and then told to go back and wait in the lobby. After a while patients started getting restless and comparing stories. One woman had come in and they inserted an iv and told her she would be getting interveinous antibiotics. That was 10 hours earlier. One man was bleeding and needed sutures and had been waiting 5 hours. There were two very elderly people in wheelchairs who were on oxygen and were so weak that they could not hold their heads up. One of them had been there so long his oxygen tank had run out so they gave him another tank. One man was very frail and in a wheelchair and had been there alone for a very long time and needed to go to the restroom so the bleeding man assisted him to the toilet. One man covered in blankets and in a wheelchair looked very ill but his family finally gave up since he could no longer sit up and left. I don't know where they went. Several more gave up and left and several more came in. The last person coming in was told it might be a 24 hour wait. My husband decided he was not going to die unless he stayed there, so we too left. He suffered through the night and he saw our doctor this morning. I know emergency rooms are busy and crowed but this was shameful. I might add that while my husband and i were concerned for his well being, my heart was breaking for some very sick and very elderly people who just really shouldn't be left sitting in a waiting room for hours on end. I hope they are doing well today.

you think its bad now ..... Just wait until build out.............

[graciegirl]

you think its bad now ..... Just wait until build out.............

or say.......other factors?

[manaboutown]

Hopefully this will not be deleted as political, but you completely misunderstand the workings of the ACA. The ER's are in part overcrowded because people DON'T have insurance. ER's are required to provide evaluation without regard to the financial coverage of the patient. So the uninsured use the ER for primary care and minor illnesses. We still hear people say we don't need universal health insurance as poor people can get great free care in the ER, so everyone really already gets needed medical care. Once people have insurance, they will be able to go to primary care doctors and NP/PA's and not overcrowd the ER, and in fact get their care at much lower cost per incident. The ACA will hugely improve the ability of ER's to return to their mission of providing emergency care.

This is going on all over the country, not just in the area around TV. ERs should be for emergencies, not routine care for people without health insurance seeking free medical care. Tragically, the patients who really need to be seen and treated are the people most adversely affected.

[eremite06]

Hopefully this will not be deleted as political, but you completely misunderstand the workings of the ACA. The ER's are in part overcrowded because people DON'T have insurance. ER's are required to provide evaluation without regard to the financial coverage of the patient. So the uninsured use the ER for primary care and minor illnesses. We still hear people say we don't need universal health insurance as poor people can get great free care in the ER, so everyone really already gets needed medical care. Once people have insurance, they will be able to go to primary care doctors and NP/PA's and not overcrowd the ER, and in fact get their care at much lower cost per incident. The ACA will hugely improve the ability of ER's to return to their mission of providing emergency care.

I agree from I've seen in Miami.

My son is a Marion county fire/medic. He told me if I need an ER, go to Leesburg.

[justjim]

OP: Unfortunately, your "ER Story" is a repeat of many such stories documented over and over again at The Villages Hospital. Any reasonable person would say that the ER at our closest Hospital is totally unacceptable. Can it be fixed? Sure. But it may take the Developer using all his influence (and that is substantial) to intervene to correct this as soon as possible. So it's America's Healthiest Hometown!

[blueash]

The Average ER Wait Time Reached A New U.S. Record In 2009 - Business Insider (http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-11-03/news/30353876_1_health-care-utah-pulse-report)

Average wait times in ER by state 2009 data. For Florida 264 minutes which is 4 1/2 hours. Worst is Utah at over 8 hours and best is Iowa at 3 hours. Waiting 4 plus hours is sadly average per this report.

[billethkid]

seems to me with all the data pointing to 3+ hour waits...the name EMERGENCY room is obsolete. It became obsolete when they started taking in the uninsured.

And if the uninsured is the problem then they should have a priority for those with insurance. I know get ready for the maelstorm coming after that comment!!

btk

[jmarkohio]

I used to be a fire medic and I have seen the good as well as the bad ERs but The Villages is by far the worst. As someone else said it is shameful especially that it has gone on this long.

[bluedog103]

Despite the comments by Dillywho, I'm convinced that the last place a seriously ill person needs to be is at the TVRH emergency room. This place is just too small and understaffed for a city the size of TV. Add to that the fact that this is the closest hospital for a lot of people in the surrounding area. I have no doubts that the staff is excellent and doing everything they can do to provide top notch care but they need more room and more staff.
I'm skeptical of the decision to scrap plans for an additional hospital in the southern end of TV in favor of a larger facility at the present TVRH. This should not be an either/or situation. We need a larger hospital to attract other medical professionals but we need another hospital as well.
So many things are done right here, why isn't top quality healthcare among those things?

[rp001]

This area is notorious for lower wage scales....As far as employee treatment and compensation, ASK ANY EMPLOYEE, from any buisnesso or service in our "paradise" and get the truth......That is why the standards are so low, from restaurants to hospitals. I never said a word about the developer...I did say the villages and that is area specific. The developer does set the standard though!

[graciegirl]

This area is notorious for lower wage scales....As far as employee treatment and compensation, ASK ANY EMPLOYEE, from any buisnesso or service in our "paradise" and get the truth......That is why the standards are so low, from restaurants to hospitals. I never said a word about the developer...I did say the villages and that is area specific. The developer does set the standard though! Great to see our benefactor has a voice on this board though.

No. You have that wrong fella. I am a fiscal conservative who has worked hard all of my life and my husband at 72 is still working so WE can pay for our grandchildrens' college tuition and launch them into a working world without a huge debt that some never repay. I think I was poor growing up but never realized it because most were in the same boat. I don't work for the developer who himself seems to have found the key to success is hard work and having a good idea.

It seems the builders and contractors are content to work here because all I have spoken to when they worked on our home recently built say that they had worked for the Morses for years and spoke well of them.

[LyndaS]

I have read the horror stories in this forum about the TV Emergency Room but my two experiences were positive. I would encourage others that have had a positive experience to comment because I believe a lot of people are being frightened unnecessarily.

Almost a year ago, I phoned my doctor’s office for an appt. and they advised me to go to the ER. I filled out the triage sheet. (very short maybe 3 questions) Before I got to my seat, I was called to the triage room and sent right to the treatment area. The treatment was courteous, respectful and caring. I was in a room on the cardiac floor within an hour. The hospital care was wonderful. My only complaint was a couple of days later… while “waiting” to be discharged. But… that is a different thread and every one was doing the best they could.

My second experience was two months ago. I sliced off a piece of my thumb. Because of all the comments on this forum about people going to the ER when they should have gone to Urgent care, I went to Urgent care.

First we tried to go to 441 Urgent Care at Buffalo Ridge but we went to the wrong building. We saw a big sign that said “Urgent Care” but it was closed. What we didn’t know was that 441 urgent care was across the street inside the Villages Lab. So, we headed to the urgent care in Sumter Landing . Unfortunately, by this time, the cold pack wasn’t as cold and my thumb was bleeding quite heavily. The urgent care was PACKED (Sunday close to noon) I thought they would triage as it was obvious that I was bleeding and using direct pressure. Not… We waited an hour until it was our turn. (which was pretty quick considering how many people were there) The doctor unwrapped my thumb and it was bleeding profusely. He said we had to go to the ER. He put a compression bandage on, said he notified the ER and to go right over there. We got to the ER and they didn’t seem to know anything about the urgent care phone call. But after a few minutes, they called us into triage. Maybe 10 minutes later, they called us into a small room off the waiting room. A NP removed the compression bandage and explained the processes that could be used to stop the bleeding. The first procedure worked, they bandaged me up, gave me instructions, bandages and sterile water to take with me. I was on my way home, less than an hour after I arrived.

I don’t doubt other poster’s experiences as I am sure there are times that it is very busy. But based on my experiences, I would not hesitate to go to the The Villages Hospital in an emergency.

[NotGolfer]

I have nothing but positive to say about The Villages Hospital. Went there via automobile due to a very serious issue. I was in much pain so I think they have a method of evaluation for that because I've heard there's folks who abuse medical facilities to get drugs. THAT was NOT the case with me. They did administer a shot for pain and sent me for a CAT scan. It was a holiday weekend---I have NO idea how busy they were. Eventually I was admitted! The care on the floor was wonderful and caring! I know when we're in a stressful situation that involves our health we expect prompt attention. That being said....I'm sure we're all put on a triage for seriousness. I will NOT say anything negative about the hospital as we need ALL of the information before making a judgment.

Healthcare in the U.S. will be changing...you can expect this!! With Socialized medicine---patients are all put on a waiting list depending on the seriousness. It won't matter if it's a large medical center or not.

The small town we moved here from had a hospital. We'd moved into this community due to a job change. Many of the "townies" sounded like the folks here who feel they were adversely treated---saying they'd never darken it's door. Instead they'd go to a large city that was 20 miles away. I will tell you people I heard many negative stories about those large hospitals as well. One is a renowned teaching hospital even. On a thread such as this though...I don't think we'll change the minds of people who think they have them made up.

[ilovetv]

Why can't they hire enough staff to meet a decent standard of care???

For one thing, there's no place to put the patients in peak season winter months, when maybe a dozen are in the ER waiting to be admitted upstairs, and there are no beds available. Russ Boston works there and he stated on this board awhile ago that one night there were 14 ER patients waiting for a bed upstairs.

Then take into account that when the hospital applied for the certificate of need to build another hospital in the Brownwood area that would also serve Wildwood and ourskirts of Leesburg, "experts" on this board screeched about how it was all a money-grubbing scheme on the part of the mean ole developer who's "too rich". Lots of people think they know how to run a hospital because they were born in one.

[Mack184]

These stories enrage me and NOT for the people who are telling them about how badly they are treated and their poor, poor family member who is left to "rot" in the waiting room.

If you knew ANYTHING (which you don't) about how things work in an ER you might begin to understand. The ER staff at TVRH, and in fact most US hospital ERs are on roller skates from the minute they clock in until the minute they leave some 12 hours later. They often have not had a single meal break, or even a bathroom break.

ERs take people on a 1-5 triage scale. 1 being the most critcal, 5 being the least important. 1=you're dieing. They take people in order of their NEED. Since you have no idea what's happening behind the doors, you make the decision for yourself that the staff's in the back room playing cards and drinking beer while your poor, poor family member is left to rot. BS!

Actually these HARD WORKING people are handling heart attacks, strokes, gunshot victims and severe traumas. Those ALL go first. In every hospital everywhere in the USA.

TVRH has a problem that is only going to get much worse as time progresses. They have a chronic shortage of beds on the medical floors. If you can't get a patient OUT of the ER and onto a medical floor bed, they can't take another patient UNTIL that current paitent is moved out. TVRH is constantly short of med-floor beds.

Since TVRH draws fully 88% of it's entire revenue stream from Medicare, and Medicare reimbursements are continuing to decline, they have NO ADDITIONAL MONEY to build a larger facility, or hire better and more staff. However, they have a continually growing population that requires more and more services which they have to provide on less and less money. That's a losing deal all the way around.

Poster after poster has said "Something Had Better Be Done"! OK what? The staff pay is horrible and so they have trouble attracting more and good people. The revenue stream is dwindling daily. The answer is MONEY. Are you ready to come up with a few million bucks so that the hospital can afford to expand? Yeah. I thought not.

The problems that plague TVRH are financial. That isn't going to improve unless there's a BIG infusion of money.

And..when you finally get into an ER room..Zip Your Mouth and don't carp at your nurse, tech or doctor. They are busting their butts to help you out and they don't need your lousy whiny self-entitled attitude to make their hard day or night even harder. Also.. you are in the hosptial's ER..Not Denny's. The staff is there to give you MEDICAL care..Not run and get coffee & sandwiches for your family or fetch magazines or other personal wants.

If you are in need..you WILL get help at TVRH..but it will be on their need scale..not yours. And I would trust them ANYTIME to know what's important and what can wait.

[jmemc46]

I have to say my experience with the Villages er was just as bad. Fell and had two broken ankles waited over 20 hours before I was treated and admitted.There is a big shortage of beds in the er.They really need to expand to take care of all the people who go there.Unless it is live or death I will go to an other hospital (God for bid) in the future. Hope this situation is solved in the near future.

[janmcn]

The Florida Legislature has two weeks to make a decision on expanding Medicaid to almost one million people or have these people continue to use emergency rooms for their primary care, while passing up billions of federal dollars.

[ilovetv]

Hopefully this will not be deleted as political, but you completely misunderstand the workings of the ACA. The ER's are in part overcrowded because people DON'T have insurance. ER's are required to provide evaluation without regard to the financial coverage of the patient. So the uninsured use the ER for primary care and minor illnesses. We still hear people say we don't need universal health insurance as poor people can get great free care in the ER, so everyone really already gets needed medical care. Once people have insurance, they will be able to go to primary care doctors and NP/PA's and not overcrowd the ER, and in fact get their care at much lower cost per incident. The ACA will hugely improve the ability of ER's to return to their mission of providing emergency care.

Wrong. An insurance card is of no use when there is no primary-care doctor to able to take on more patients, and they are quitting practice because Medicare reimbursements are already so low (and Medicaid payments are half of Medicare payments) they can't pay the bills and themselves and stay solvent.

When people with an insurance card can't get a primary doctor, or they cannot wait a week or two with the problem they have....or they do not WANT to wait a week to see the dr. they have....they go to the ER. And that is fact. And it's why the ER's are so full and will continue to be so, regardless of ACA coverage.

"A recent Senate report said the country is short about 16,000 primary care doctors – and that shortage is only expected to grow.

That's especially troubling for people in the public health and medical fields, since a soon-to-be-enacted provision of the Affordable Care Act will extend Medicaid to millions of Americans – begging the question of who, exactly, will treat them.

A recent study in the Annals of Family Medicine estimated there are nearly 209,000 primary care providers in the U.S.

That's a big number, but with population growth, aging and the changes brought on by the Affordable Care Act, experts say today's shortage of 16,000 primary care physicians will grow to about 52,000 by 2050.

That's also a big number – but it's a bigger problem.

Why the shortage of primary care doctors?

Dr. Felix Aguilar, the president and CEO of UMMA Community Clinic in South Los Angeles, says the primary care physician is a "jack of all trades but master of none."

"The role of primary care is to provide comprehensive care that is affordable, prevention-based and that looks at all the faces of a human life – from babies to grandmas," he said.

Dr. Aguilar is a practitioner of family medicine – one form of primary care. He's worked in underserved South L.A. for about 10 years, and loves what he does.

But Aguilar says there are a few things about the job that keep a lot of young medical students away. For one, they have a heavy patient load.

"We have less support," he said. "We're not hospital-based and, of course, we get less money, so those are the drawbacks."

Primary care doctors typically earn less and and get less support than doctors who choose to go into specialized fields: cardiology, neurology, podiatry, oncology and other specialized fields. Specialists also tend to work with fewer patients.

Add to that an average medical school debt of more than $160,000, and it's easy not so hard to see why a more lucrative field – that is, one that isn't primary care – would be so attractive to medical students....."

Primary care doctor shortage creates critical void, leaving field's future uncertain | OnCentral | 89.3 KPCC (http://www.scpr.org/blogs/southla/2013/02/22/12658/primary-care-doctor-shortage-creates-critical-void/)

[tucson]

These stories enrage me and NOT for the people who are telling them about how badly they are treated and their poor, poor family member who is left to "rot" in the waiting room.

If you knew ANYTHING (which you don't) about how things work in an ER you might begin to understand. The ER staff at TVRH, and in fact most US hospital ERs are on roller skates from the minute they clock in until the minute they leave some 12 hours later. They often have not had a single meal break, or even a bathroom break.

ERs take people on a 1-5 triage scale. 1 being the most critcal, 5 being the least important. 1=you're dieing. They take people in order of their NEED. Since you have no idea what's happening behind the doors, you make the decision for yourself that the staff's in the back room playing cards and drinking beer while your poor, poor family member is left to rot. BS!

Actually these HARD WORKING people are handling heart attacks, strokes, gunshot victims and severe traumas. Those ALL go first. In every hospital everywhere in the USA.

TVRH has a problem that is only going to get much worse as time progresses. They have a chronic shortage of beds on the medical floors. If you can't get a patient OUT of the ER and onto a medical floor bed, they can't take another patient UNTIL that current paitent is moved out. TVRH is constantly short of med-floor beds.

Since TVRH draws fully 88% of it's entire revenue stream from Medicare, and Medicare reimbursements are continuing to decline, they have NO ADDITIONAL MONEY to build a larger facility, or hire better and more staff. However, they have a continually growing population that requires more and more services which they have to provide on less and less money. That's a losing deal all the way around.

Poster after poster has said "Something Had Better Be Done"! OK what? The staff pay is horrible and so they have trouble attracting more and good people. The revenue stream is dwindling daily. The answer is MONEY. Are you ready to come up with a few million bucks so that the hospital can afford to expand? Yeah. I thought not.

The problems that plague TVRH are financial. That isn't going to improve unless there's a BIG infusion of money.

And..when you finally get into an ER room..Zip Your Mouth and don't carp at your nurse, tech or doctor. They are busting their butts to help you out and they don't need your lousy whiny self-entitled attitude to make their hard day or night even harder. Also.. you are in the hosptial's ER..Not Denny's. The staff is there to give you MEDICAL care..Not run and get coffee & sandwiches for your family or fetch magazines or other personal wants.

If you are in need..you WILL get help at TVRH..but it will be on their need scale..not yours. And I would trust them ANYTIME to know what's important and what can wait.

Thank you for telling it like it is!! Like you said, It's only going to get worse...

[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.

[Mack184]

TVRH has very little uncompensated care compared to the vast majority of US hospitals. They are not suffering from a "deluge of the uninsured".

One thing that gets almost no notice here on TOTV or within TV itself is the excellent Urgent Care facility on the East Campus. Compared to the TVRH-ER the Urgent Care handles very few patients often with staff waiting around with no one to help.

Far too many people call the Big Red Bus and that bus only stops at one location...TVRH-ER. Many, many of the people who find themselves waiting at TVRH could be easily handled at the Urgent Care but they choose not to. Then the gripe & carp about the terrible service and waiting time. Most of the people who wind up waiting & waiting & wating at the ER are triaged between a 3-5 which means they are non-critical (no matter what the patient thinks they are) and could be easily treated MUCH more quickly at the TVRH-Urgent Care on the East Campus. Give it a try.

[perrjojo]

TVRH has very little uncompensated care compared to the vast majority of US hospitals. They are not suffering from a "deluge of the uninsured".

One thing that gets almost no notice here on TOTV or within TV itself is the excellent Urgent Care facility on the East Campus. Compared to the TVRH-ER the Urgent Care handles very few patients often with staff waiting around with no one to help.

Far too many people call the Big Red Bus and that bus only stops at one location...TVRH-ER. Many, many of the people who find themselves waiting at TVRH could be easily handled at the Urgent Care but they choose not to. Then the gripe & carp about the terrible service and waiting time. Most of the people who wind up waiting & waiting & wating at the ER are triaged between a 3-5 which means they are non-critical (no matter what the patient thinks they are) and could be easily treated MUCH more quickly at the TVRH-Urgent Care on the East Campus. Give it a try.

I have used the Urgent care at LSL and have been very pleased but they close at 7:00. Is there any other urgent care that stays open 24/7?

[ilovetv]

These stories enrage me and NOT for the people who are telling them about how badly they are treated and their poor, poor family member who is left to "rot" in the waiting room.

If you knew ANYTHING (which you don't) about how things work in an ER you might begin to understand. The ER staff at TVRH, and in fact most US hospital ERs are on roller skates from the minute they clock in until the minute they leave some 12 hours later. They often have not had a single meal break, or even a bathroom break.

ERs take people on a 1-5 triage scale. 1 being the most critcal, 5 being the least important. 1=you're dieing. They take people in order of their NEED. Since you have no idea what's happening behind the doors, you make the decision for yourself that the staff's in the back room playing cards and drinking beer while your poor, poor family member is left to rot. BS!

Actually these HARD WORKING people are handling heart attacks, strokes, gunshot victims and severe traumas. Those ALL go first. In every hospital everywhere in the USA.

TVRH has a problem that is only going to get much worse as time progresses. They have a chronic shortage of beds on the medical floors. If you can't get a patient OUT of the ER and onto a medical floor bed, they can't take another patient UNTIL that current paitent is moved out. TVRH is constantly short of med-floor beds.

Since TVRH draws fully 88% of it's entire revenue stream from Medicare, and Medicare reimbursements are continuing to decline, they have NO ADDITIONAL MONEY to build a larger facility, or hire better and more staff. However, they have a continually growing population that requires more and more services which they have to provide on less and less money. That's a losing deal all the way around.

Poster after poster has said "Something Had Better Be Done"! OK what? The staff pay is horrible and so they have trouble attracting more and good people. The revenue stream is dwindling daily. The answer is MONEY. Are you ready to come up with a few million bucks so that the hospital can afford to expand? Yeah. I thought not.

The problems that plague TVRH are financial. That isn't going to improve unless there's a BIG infusion of money.

And..when you finally get into an ER room..Zip Your Mouth and don't carp at your nurse, tech or doctor. They are busting their butts to help you out and they don't need your lousy whiny self-entitled attitude to make their hard day or night even harder. Also.. you are in the hosptial's ER..Not Denny's. The staff is there to give you MEDICAL care..Not run and get coffee & sandwiches for your family or fetch magazines or other personal wants.

If you are in need..you WILL get help at TVRH..but it will be on their need scale..not yours. And I would trust them ANYTIME to know what's important and what can wait.

BRAVO, Mack184!!!!

[Mack184]

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.
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.

[Mack184]

I have used the Urgent care at LSL and have been very pleased but they close at 7:00. Is there any other urgent care that stays open 24/7?
I don't know..but here's a little secret. If more people who needed care during the day, went to the Urgent Care facilities then TVRH wouldn't stack up so badly during the day.

If you have lots of people coming into the ER during the day, the more the system clogs up and slows down. Then..if you need something at night when the Urgent Cares are closed..you enter a system that is running like a pig on stilts. Maybe..just maybe things will slow down about 2am and they'll start to catch up. Many nights that doesn't happen..So the cycle continues right into the next day.

Pretty much, if you're not dieing...(Use the hospital's scale here..not yours) the local Urgent Care facilities can take care of you. You will get in & out MUCH faster than if you use the ER.

[dillywho]

I don't know..but here's a little secret. If more people who needed care during the day, went to the Urgent Care facilities then TVRH wouldn't stack up so badly during the day.

If you have lots of people coming into the ER during the day, the more the system clogs up and slows down. Then..if you need something at night when the Urgent Cares are closed..you enter a system that is running like a pig on stilts. Maybe..just maybe things will slow down about 2am and they'll start to catch up. Many nights that doesn't happen..So the cycle continues right into the next day.

Pretty much, if you're not dieing...(Use the hospital's scale here..not yours) the local Urgent Care facilities can take care of you. You will get in & out MUCH faster than if you use the ER.

Mack, you are saying exactly what I have been trying to get across. As for most of the ER care being taken by Villagers with means, go in there and just take a look. You will see many more from surrounding areas than are from here. One young person actually had the audacity to ask if I had a lighter one night when I was on the way in to my husband's room in ICU. When I told her I did not and that even if I did she couldn't smoke on the grounds, she said that she knew that but wanted to have a cigarette first since the wait would probably be long. Emergency?? I think not. Like someone else noted, she could afford cigarettes and tats but then probably lets others pay for her medical care.

This most likely explains a lot and could also contribute to the explanation of why the ER was so non-busy over the Easter Weekend. Seems to be the same scenario on any other holiday weekend as well. Guess those "emergencies" can wait until after the festivities.

[Mack184]

Mack, you are saying exactly what I have been trying to get across. As for most of the ER care being taken by Villagers with means, go in there and just take a look. You will see many more from surrounding areas than are from here. One young person actually had the audacity to ask if I had a lighter one night when I was on the way in to my husband's room in ICU. When I told her I did not and that even if I did she couldn't smoke on the grounds, she said that she knew that but wanted to have a cigarette first since the wait would probably be long. Emergency?? I think not. Like someone else noted, she could afford cigarettes and tats but then probably lets others pay for her medical care.

This most likely explains a lot and could also contribute to the explanation of why the ER was so non-busy over the Easter Weekend. Seems to be the same scenario on any other holiday weekend as well. Guess those "emergencies" can wait until after the festivities.
Since you're ready to blame the "young & the poor" you might want to know that the average age of a TVRH patient is...78.

[perrjojo]

Since you're ready to blame the "young & the poor" you might want to know that the average age of a TVRH patient is...78.
Mack184, you are correct. The night I was there I saw about 20 people waiting. Only 2 or 3 looked like they were not from "around here" (whatever that means). I don't think Wildwood or Oxford have a hospital so of course there will be some young people there. :-). Anyway, the problem that I saw was far too many patients than could be accommodated.

[DEWRDW]

This is very scary - for those of us who just moved to TV this may be a awake up call - have a plan in place just in case a sudden illness occurs - thanks for the info

[TraceyMooreRN]

In Virginia I worked for a non-profit hospital that I loved- 5 miles down the road they built a stand-alone ER. This helped with the long waiting, etc. This facility would do EVERYTHING a hospital ER would do-with the exception of placing you in a bed to keep you. Tons of people liked the idea--maybe that would be a solution. However, it seems with the growth of our area 100,000 and increased ages- that there will be another hospital built. I am all for it!!! In Virginia I worked for a non-profit hospital that I loved- 5 miles down the road they built a stand-alone ER. This helped with the long waiting, etc. This facility would do EVERYTHING a hospital ER would do-with the exception of placing you in a bed to keep you. Tons of people liked the idea--maybe that would be a solution. However, it seems with the growth of our area 100,000 and increased ages- that there will be another hospital built. I am all for it!!! In Virginia I worked for a non-profit hospital that I loved- 5 miles down the road they built a stand-alone ER. This helped with the long waiting, etc. This facility would do EVERYTHING a hospital ER would do-with the exception of placing you in a bed to keep you. Tons of people liked the idea--maybe that would be a solution. However, it seems with the growth of our area 100,000 and increased ages- that there will be another hospital built. I am all for it!!!

[gerryann]

If you are not on Medicare or Medicaid, chances are you will get treated sooner. I posted this a few weeks ago



You are certainly correct that they NEED the beds, but going about releasing the beds is another matter. I was at urgent care recently. The Dr. wanted me to get a particular test that had to be done in the hospital. He told me to walk across the street to the hospital and he would send the orders over for the test. I walked over, they admitted me into a bed in the emergency room....walking past MANY sick and injured folks on gurneys in the hall way. I explained that I do NOT need a bed...only a test. they admitted me anyway. After blood work and a couple hours wait, they took me for the test....then back to the room that I didn't need. They kept me waiting in the room for another 4 hours while I waited for results, then a Dr to release me...all the while taking up a bed (really the room, I never got in the bed). On my way out I still saw many folks in the hall that needed a room. Two in particular had very bloody heads. Didnt have any idea why this incident happened this way....I was not sick, nor in an emergency situation...Is it possible that they saw that I had private insurance and not Medicare??? I hope thats not the case, but I did feel ridiculous taking the room away from those that needed it.

[tucson]

Something about all these stories is absolutely so totally sickening,(no pun intended)!

[rp001]

Personally I'm convinced the majority of the problem at this er is Management related. When I was there the second time, because no other medical facility would treat (undo) what the villaqes had done. Even my doctor and the urgent care facilities wouldn't touch it. I was captive for 8 hrs. I asked the young lady doing triage what the average wait was , and she told me that for non emergency (which mine was at this point) it was 12 hrs. I immediately announced to entire waiting room the good news, that we would be home tonight. Well the flood gates opened and myself, along with a young man with a dislocated shoulder who had been sitting in a wheel chair moaning for 8 hrs too, were hustled through the door. We werent taken to the emergency room, they opened another door and lo and behold it was preop. They had a lot of empty beds and literally a staff of doctors and nurses doing absolutely nothing. They were pressed into service because of the crowds waiting outside. That is absolutely INCOMPETENT MANAGEMENT. For the record I'm not blaming the Morses so the defenders can take a break.

[allairenjadea]

I feel the need to "chime in" with a positive story...I had to go to the ER due to severe stomach pains that got worse and did not subside. My husband took me there at 930pm. We waited and waited and were not seen by a doctor till well after midnight. To make a long story short good thing i went i could be dead today if i had not went. I had acute appendicitis! Surprise to me! Obviously I had surgery in the AM and an overnight stay after that, although i was feeling very crummy i still was impresssed with the staff and the way they took care of me in a very kind and professional manner. Thank god for TVRH!

[gerryann]

I feel the need to "chime in" with a positive story...I had to go to the ER due to severe stomach pains that got worse and did not subside. My husband took me there at 930pm. We waited and waited and were not seen by a doctor till well after midnight. To make a long story short good thing i went i could be dead today if i had not went. I had acute appendicitis! Surprise to me! Obviously I had surgery in the AM and an overnight stay after that, although i was feeling very crummy i still was impresssed with the staff and the way they took care of me in a very kind and professional manner. Thank god for TVRH!

I'm happy for you that you had what you feel to be a positive experience. However, it does not excuse the terrible treatment that was experienced by the OP.

[DougB]

You had appendicitis, had to wait over 2 1/2 hours to be seen, but you are impressed with the way the staff took care of you. Thank God, you finally got treatment and everything worked out for you!

[KYDIANA12]

I have heard several stories just like this of people waiting 7 hours and longer and finally leaving without being seen by a Doctor. This is my main concern about the healthcare in The Villages. We are only part timers right now and we still have our primary doctors back home. My fear is having an emergency while there and needing immediate attention at a hospital. I would go to the Leesburg hospital instead of TV hospital. I don't understand why TV has not built another hospital to handle the growing population.

[graciegirl]

I have heard several stories just like this of people waiting 7 hours and longer and finally leaving without being seen by a Doctor. This is my main concern about the healthcare in The Villages. We are only part timers right now and we still have our primary doctors back home. My fear is having an emergency while there and needing immediate attention at a hospital. I would go to the Leesburg hospital instead of TV hospital. I don't understand why TV has not built another hospital to handle the growing population.

The developer builds but he can't cause Hospital Associations to rent and run them.

It isn't like you build a building and hire surgeons and nurses and provide all of the equipment and stuff like you would a restaurant.

Only the building is owned by the developer. The Health Alliance of Central Florida that runs the Leesburg Hospital also runs The Villages Hospital. Central Florida Hospitals | Leesburg Regional | Villages Hospital | Central Florida Health Alliance (http://www.cfhalliance.org/)

I am VERY concerned about health care here but the very fact that so many of us are on Medicare makes it "not interesting" for a lot of good doctors to move here.

The medical community here is NOT what many of us left behind and there is little that anyone can do to fix it.

Even the great and mighty OZ cannot "create" or woo a hospital. That was proven when they built the Moffitt Center here. There is a building here, but many still go for services to The Moffitt Center at Tampa where the large staff is based.

Remember that Gary Morse lives here too and he gets sick just like the rest of us, he is aging and of course can go anywhere but just like us, may need expert care STAT. There is every incentive on every level for the developer to exert his influence but some things cannot be done with mere money. Good doctors want the status of being associated with a stellar teaching hospital, generally speaking. That is not to say we don't have some good doctors here but we also have some that are not so great, in my very humble and uneducated opinion.

[DEWRDW]

I feel the need to "chime in" with a positive story...I had to go to the ER due to severe stomach pains that got worse and did not subside. My husband took me there at 930pm. We waited and waited and were not seen by a doctor till well after midnight. To make a long story short good thing i went i could be dead today if i had not went. I had acute appendicitis! Surprise to me! Obviously I had surgery in the AM and an overnight stay after that, although i was feeling very crummy i still was impresssed with the staff and the way they took care of me in a very kind and professional manner. Thank god for TVRH!

I can't believe you had to wait for surgery in the morning for acute appendicitis - my mother had surgery almost immediately in Bradenton for acute appendicitis - it was in the evening around 10 p.m. - isn't there an on call surgeon at this hospital for things like this - what about heart problems?

[DEWRDW]

What is the rating of this hospital? Does anyone know off hand - I am wondering how many have passed away due to lack of care? I woud like to know the true facts - does anyone really have them??

[Golfingnut]

Just Wait till the new Affordable Healthcare law kicks in. You've seen nothing yet!!! 30 million more coming in thanks to americans who voted for it. And us seniors will be the First ones to feel it.

YEA, we should just let those 30 Million people die on the street and let us more fortunate ones have better faster care. :ohdear:

[Golfingnut]

Seems to be a few common complaints here that repeats:

Too many people given medical care.
Dr's not paid enough.
Care givers work too hard.

What happened to the caregivers of the past that did this work without wanting an easy job to get rich quick. You now have more paper pushing staff than caregivers in a hospital in my opinion, due to greed. If the ER is busy then line em up like an assembly line and move them thru the ER and out the back door. Health Care MUST return to helping everyone quickly and not just the rich. I know, I get on my soap box, but when I hear how the 30 Million people are going to be added to the list of those that get medical treatment is a bad thing, it makes the hair on my neck stand up. I believe everyone should be cared for in a christian manner regardless of their social status.

[Challenger]

Seems to be a few common complaints here that repeats:

Too many people given medical care.
Dr's not paid enough.
Care givers work too hard.

What happened to the caregivers of the past that did this work without wanting an easy job to get rich quick. You now have more paper pushing staff than caregivers in a hospital in my opinion, due to greed. If the ER is busy then line em up like an assembly line and move them thru the ER and out the back door. Health Care MUST return to helping everyone quickly and not just the rich. I know, I get on my soap box, but when I hear how the 30 Million people are going to be added to the list of those that get medical treatment is a bad thing, it makes the hair on my neck stand up. I believe everyone should be cared for in a christian manner regardless of their social status.

who are the greedy ones with the easy get rich quick jobs you refer to?

[l2ridehd]

This issue will impact home sales. People who are looking for a retirement almost always check out medical care. It is one of the first things many look for. And if this word gets out, sales will suffer. When they do, the problem will be fixed. Probably not until the impact is felt on the bottom line though.

[rockyisle]

Munroe Regional -worth the drive!

[mickey100]

OP: Unfortunately, your "ER Story" is a repeat of many such stories documented over and over again at The Villages Hospital. Any reasonable person would say that the ER at our closest Hospital is totally unacceptable. Can it be fixed? Sure. But it may take the Developer using all his influence (and that is substantial) to intervene to correct this as soon as possible. So it's America's Healthiest Hometown!

Do you honestly think he is going to do that? What's in it for him? He's already rented the space out. As many others have pointed out, he's a business man and that is pretty much his bottom line. Unless there is money in it for him, or as l2ridehd suggested - housing sales would be impacted , I would expect his energies to be devoted elsewhere.

[graciegirl]

Do you honestly think he is going to do that? What's in it for him? He's already rented the space out. As many others have pointed out, he's a business man and that is pretty much his bottom line. Unless there is money in it for him, or as l2ridehd suggested - housing sales would be impacted , I would expect his energies to be devoted elsewhere.

Do you honestly think he is not a REAL person? Because he is rich he has no good qualities?

No one knows him on this forum or has ever met him.

What makes you so sure that he is a bad person?

That makes me so angry. I don't know him but why would you think just because he is a "businessman" that he is bad? That is class envy.

I respect Chris mightily but if he could use money to cure this problem he would have done it. At least that is how it looks to me.

[YouNeverKnow]

What is the rating of this hospital? Does anyone know off hand - I am wondering how many have passed away due to lack of care? I woud like to know the true facts - does anyone really have them??

Here is a link to the Hospital rating.
Villages Regional Hospital, The in The Villages, Florida - Ratings and Details (http://hospitals.findthebest.com/l/898/Villages-Regional-Hospital-The)

[Golfingnut]

who are the greedy ones with the easy get rich quick jobs you refer to?

please read the entire post.

[bonrich]

I wonder if the facilities involved, Hospital, Urgent Care, EMT's could work out a plan, together or using consultants, that would encompass the concerns that are stated here again and again.
Expand Urgent Care facilities, i.e. hours, services. EMT's could be instructed to divert certain cases to our neighbor hospital ER's with larger facilities. Then they could drop and return to their post.
Long term, use the history of incidences in the ER to see what is warranted, expansion, personnel, complete revamp of the admissions. Money, yes, as with all a cost is involved, but as our population increases and ages, every health care service will have to increase also. Reimbursement is a major concern in the long term, especially after the new health care fires up, so does that mean only the large survive?
That example of the small brush fire behind the guard shack at the Sanibel gate did happen. Our neighbor saw the smoke and fire starting as he was driving through the gate, he drove to the fire station about 100 yards away, and it was closed. Was it because they were transporting and waiting with a emergency case at the TV hospital, and could not drop and go back? Another Fire station answered the call, but what if it was a home on fire with the potential of spreading, and a station that was a 100 yards and minutes away was closed.......

[senior citizen]

Certainly not that long, but most emergency room waits are long, for whatever reason.

Once, in our small town hospital (population 16,000 souls....so not a huge city), I had to wait what seemed like forever for the orthopedic surgeon to arrive after our son, age 10, broke his leg (got kicked accidentally by another player) while playing youth soccer. His coach called me; the coach accompanied son to the emergency room via ambulance and then we arrived. They gave him one aspirin. Put him in the hallway. We have a great hospital.........but the wait was like an eternity.

When my husband had his gallbladder attack but thought it was a heart attack, he got in 1.2.3. I guess they take the worst case emergency first.......but our son had to lay out in the hallway for hours.

When my mom tripped over a "log" while on a field trip with her senior center club........they also took her right in......so I guess up here it is a matter of priority or seniority..........or maybe it was just a slow day.

Wonder if there was a heart attack patient or very critical patient who came in first?

But, that is a sad story with all the elderly waiting and waiting in the emergency room...........hopefully, next time it is a shorter wait in TV

[mickey100]

Do you honestly think he is not a REAL person? Because he is rich he has no good qualities?..
What makes you so sure that he is a bad person?

That makes me so angry. I don't know him but why would you think just because he is a "businessman" that he is bad? That is class envy.



Please read my post more thoroughly. I did not say he was bad. I did not say he was rich. I did not say he has no good qualities. I don't think that because he is a businessman that he is bad.

As CaptJohn said "Another aspect not mentioned so far is that there are readers who either read too fast and jump to early conclusions or simply pick out the words of a post and latch onto them without reading the whole thing. Then they attack the parts offensive to them without getting the grasp of the whole. Off go the fireworks unnecessarily. "

[Challenger]

please read the entire post.

I did and my question is the same

"who are the greedy ones with the easy, get rich quick jobs you refer to?"

[Yorio]

On Jan 1 at 1:30 am, 2013 my wife asked me to call an ambulance as her stomach area was hurting bad. Ambulance came right away which was very good but they told me that they could not take her to The Village hospital as it is at full capacity. They said we can either go to Ocala Regional or Munroe. Leesburg was another possibility. We went to Ocala Regional and although we had to stay by the corridor with no room availability until mid-morning, she was getting check ups which turned out to be gall bladder stones acting up. Even if she had no room, she was getting checked which we were grateful. We are also grateful for the quick response time of The Villages ambulance team. Not the best scenario but we were still grateful. Definitely ER issue will get worse around The Villages as the place matures and as we get older. I am hoping USF/The Villages are looking in to resolve the issue.

[Bill32]

Just Wait till the new Affordable Healthcare law kicks in. You've seen nothing yet!!! 30 million more coming in thanks to americans who voted for it. And us seniors will be the First ones to feel it.

Agree completely, it always comes down to the money. If it was a profitable enterprise they would hire more doctors and nurses and do more business, no? Business 101. How likely is there to be 5, 10 ,20 life and death cases before you?? Understaffed and overwhelmed.

[Golfingnut]

I did and my question is the same

"who are the greedy ones with the easy, get rich quick jobs you refer to?"

This is my post:
Seems to be a few common complaints here that repeats:

Too many people given medical care.
Dr's not paid enough.
Care givers work too hard.

What happened to the caregivers of the past that did this work without wanting an easy job to get rich quick. You now have more paper pushing staff than caregivers in a hospital in my opinion, due to greed. If the ER is busy then line em up like an assembly line and move them thru the ER and out the back door. Health Care MUST return to helping everyone quickly and not just the rich. I know, I get on my soap box, but when I hear how the 30 Million people are going to be added to the list of those that get medical treatment is a bad thing, it makes the hair on my neck stand up. I believe everyone should be cared for in a christian manner regardless of their social status.

If you read this you will see I never referred to anyone as you say ("who are the greedy ones with the easy, get rich quick jobs). You are mixing two different sentences to make some silly question. So, I cannot answer a question that has no basis. :ohdear: Now if you have a serious question about my post, I will be happy to respond, but not to a leading jab to start an argument.

[JourneyOfLife]

---


The problems that plague TVRH are financial. That isn't going to improve unless there's a BIG infusion of money.

---

Lower reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid will only make the problem more difficult. We know the percentage of Medicare recipient is high. Not sure about Medicaid.

Someone could float bonds to build infrastructure... peoples earnings are a different matter. Especially Doctors who might be running their own practice... what entices them to relocate to that area.


Another issue is the seasonal crowd in winter. The level of demand for ER services is not the same during each season (it can't be). No one will ever be able to justify staffing for 12 months to meet 3 months of peak demand.

[daviskgb]

The Villages Regional Hospital has some of the worst quality ratings in the state. This publically reported data can be found at a website developed by Medicare called hospitalcompare. Their ratings gave me pause about moving here and I wrote a letter to them addressing my concerns and receive a canned response. I have found my healthcare elsewhere, in Gainesville at Shands. It is shameful that we tolerate a facility that historically has under-performed across the the board on clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, patient safety, readmission and mortality rates.

[Moderator]

There are a number of posts that have strayed off topic into political, personal, and other subjects.

A reminder, the topic is the Villages Hospital Emergency Room.

[memason]

.... nevermind ...

[gerryann]

This issue will impact home sales. People who are looking for a retirement almost always check out medical care. It is one of the first things many look for. And if this word gets out, sales will suffer. When they do, the problem will be fixed. Probably not until the impact is felt on the bottom line though.

You are correct. However, sales will not suffer to the point that it would be recognized or attributed to any discussion on a forum. The reality is we have totally insufficient health care here in The Villages and I for one would have reconsidered moving here because of it. Someone else would have bought my house and every house of all of us here on TOTV who feel we need a change. The problem would still exist and will for a long time to come. No one is hurt except for those that are not getting proper medical care.....which unfortunately can be each and every one of us. Very sad situation. We are sitting ducks.

[graciegirl]

Please read my post more thoroughly. I did not say he was bad. I did not say he was rich. I did not say he has no good qualities. I don't think that because he is a businessman that he is bad.

As CaptJohn said "Another aspect not mentioned so far is that there are readers who either read too fast and jump to early conclusions or simply pick out the words of a post and latch onto them without reading the whole thing. Then they attack the parts offensive to them without getting the grasp of the whole. Off go the fireworks unnecessarily. "

Here is your post.

QUOTE=mickey100;659169]Do you honestly think he is going to do that? What's in it for him? He's already rented the space out. As many others have pointed out, he's a business man and that is pretty much his bottom line. Unless there is money in it for him, or as l2ridehd suggested - housing sales would be impacted , I would expect his energies to be devoted elsewhere.[/QUOTE]

[RedChariot]

I feel the need to "chime in" with a positive story...I had to go to the ER due to severe stomach pains that got worse and did not subside. My husband took me there at 930pm. We waited and waited and were not seen by a doctor till well after midnight. To make a long story short good thing i went i could be dead today if i had not went. I had acute appendicitis! Surprise to me! Obviously I had surgery in the AM and an overnight stay after that, although i was feeling very crummy i still was impresssed with the staff and the way they took care of me in a very kind and professional manner. Thank god for TVRH!

I was not going to address the multiple horror stories that I see on this thread. But this put me over the edge. I have been a hospital Nursing Administrator for 36 years. I am really sorry you think you got good car, but you did not. If you had acute appendicitis you should have had emergency surgery. There shoukd have been an oncall surgical team that woud have performed your surgery at any time. To wait until the next day put your life at risk for a ruptured appendix. This is sub standard. You did not rupture because of the care at TV hospital, it was because of the grace of God or luck or any other reason you want to attach to it. Not because of the care.

While I am here let me say in all my experience, I have never heard of the Emergency squad/EMT/Paramedics waiting in the ER with a patient. They bring the patient in, give a report to an RN, put the patient in an ER bed and leave. They must free themselves to be available to the community's emergencies. Waiting with a patient in the ER for 45 minutes leaves me speechless. No one available at The Sanibel Firehouse to respond to that fire at the guardhouse-I just don't know what to say.

Organization in the Er is administrative. Have they called in a Consultive team to help them determine how to correct this situation. Yes all ER depts are overcrowded, but again having your emercency response team wait with the patient is the hospital's fix for them not having beds or staff to care for the patient. We are in trouble more than you know.

[applesoffh]

I was not going to address the multiple horror stories that I see on this thread. But this put me over the edge. I have been a hospital Nursing Administrator for 36 years. I am really sorry you think you got good car, but you did not. If you had acute appendicitis you should have had emergency surgery. There shoukd have been an oncall surgical team that woud have performed your surgery at any time. To wait until the next day put your life at risk for a ruptured appendix. This is sub standard. You did not rupture because of the care at TV hospital, it was because of the grace of God or luck or any other reason you want to attach to it. Not because of the care.

While I am here let me say in all my experience, I have never heard of the Emergency squad/EMT/Paramedics waiting in the ER with a patient. They bring the patient in, give a report to an RN, put the patient in an ER bed and leave. They must free themselves to be available to the community's emergencies. Waiting with a patient in the ER for 45 minutes leaves me speechless. No one available at The Sanibel Firehouse to respond to that fire at the guardhouse-I just don't know what to say.

Organization in the Er is administrative. Have they called in a Consultive team to help them determine how to correct this situation. Yes all ER depts are overcrowded, but again having your emercency response team wait with the patient is the hospital's fix for them not having beds or staff to care for the patient. We are in trouble more than you know.

Unfortunately, I believe this poster's assessments are 100% accurate, and not about to get better any time soon.

A close family member is a paramedic in NYC and was shocked when told of the policy here...crews remaining with the patient for long periods of time until emergency room staff can take over. Unheard of! Friends and I discussed this very matter just the other day...along with TV Safety Patrol urging Villagers to learn CPR and raise money for diffibrulators to assist until an ambulance arrives...sometimes more than 10 minutes! At a meeting in Captiva not too long ago, residents of Sanibel/Charlotte were told that the local firehouse (litteraly 2 minutes away) is usually empty, its firefighters/EMTs off changing batteries in residents smoke detectors! This is nuts! Checking fire hydrants? Fine! Changing batteries? CRAZY! If TVRH needs more personnel to make the ER run the way it should, then hire the right people! Not enough room? Expand the damned ER. We're not the "Friendliest Hometown" if we can't even take care of our sick adequately.

[DEWRDW]

I was not going to address the multiple horror stories that I see on this thread. But this put me over the edge. I have been a hospital Nursing Administrator for 36 years. I am really sorry you think you got good car, but you did not. If you had acute appendicitis you should have had emergency surgery. There shoukd have been an oncall surgical team that woud have performed your surgery at any time. To wait until the next day put your life at risk for a ruptured appendix. This is sub standard. You did not rupture because of the care at TV hospital, it was because of the grace of God or luck or any other reason you want to attach to it. Not because of the care.

While I am here let me say in all my experience, I have never heard of the Emergency squad/EMT/Paramedics waiting in the ER with a patient. They bring the patient in, give a report to an RN, put the patient in an ER bed and leave. They must free themselves to be available to the community's emergencies. Waiting with a patient in the ER for 45 minutes leaves me speechless. No one available at The Sanibel Firehouse to respond to that fire at the guardhouse-I just don't know what to say.

Organization in the Er is administrative. Have they called in a Consultive team to help them determine how to correct this situation. Yes all ER depts are overcrowded, but again having your emercency response team wait with the patient is the hospital's fix for them not having beds or staff to care for the patient. We are in trouble more than you know.

I totally agree with you - my mother had acute appendicitis and had surgery immediately in Bradenton - it was 10 p.m. and the on call surgery team performed it - I don't understand this whole hospital situation here - it's very scary to me as a newcomer!

[TunaFish]

This is my only concern for not moving to The Villages or anywhere around there.

[DEWRDW]

What are the best hospitals around this area? Everyone should have a plan in case of an emergency - it amazes me that when I talk to other golfers who are having procedures or have had procedures no one has gone to the Village Hospital for anything - where are patients that require hospital treatment going that belong to these Health Care Centers, say like the one on Colony - are they being referred to Ocala, Munroe, Leesburg, etc.????

[blueash]

I was not going to address the multiple horror stories that I see on this thread. But this put me over the edge. I have been a hospital Nursing Administrator for 36 years. I am really sorry you think you got good care, but you did not. If you had acute appendicitis you should have had emergency surgery. There should have been an oncall surgical team that woud have performed your surgery at any time. To wait until the next day put your life at risk for a ruptured appendix. This is sub standard. You did not rupture because of the care at TV hospital, it was because of the grace of God or luck or any other reason you want to attach to it. Not because of the care.

Your extremely stated allegation that the poster got sub-standard care is beyond the pale and nearly libelous. I suspect that your years as a nursing administrator does not qualify you to know the care required for acute appendicitis. Here is the correct information: JAMA Network | JAMA Surgery | Effects of Delaying Appendectomy for Acute Appendicitis for 12 to 24 Hours (http://archsurg.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=398369)

"An approach to the treatment of acute appendicitis that includes the early administration of intravenous antibiotics and fluid hydration followed by the performance of appendectomy during the day hours does not increase the rate of complications, and it does not significantly increase the length of stay or rate of advanced appendicitis. In addition, this practice pattern decreases the need for operating during the late night hours or the interruption of the regular operating room schedule. Finally, it aids in focusing resources and operating room availability to life-threatening emergencies"

[sharonga]

The answer is to call an ambulance and have them take you right in.

[gerryann]

The answer is to call an ambulance and have them take you right in.

Are you saying that coming by ambulance versus her husband driving her would have gotten her in sooner? I'm not talking travel time, I'm talking once they entered the building......do they treat and evaluate ambulance arrivals differently than non ambulance arrivals?

[rp001]

The answer is to call an ambulance and have them take you right in.

This is absolutely not true...They still will put you out in the "hinterlands" of the er regardless of how you arrived.Depends on their assessment of your condition.My emt tried to talk me out of going to the hospital because "I would just wait for hours"..His words,not mine..As it turned out he could not stop the bleeding after 20 minutes and transported me..At the time I got there there wasn't a backup and was seen pretty quickly...the follow up treatment was horrendous however and I witnessed what could only be described as incomprehensible...Not something I've ever seen in this country..Not blaming the Morses so defenders can relax.

[Warren Kiefer]

I have heard horror stories about our hospital emergency room but I got to experience it first hand last night. My husband has been having problems with asthma and saw our doctor on Tuesday. He was given meds and told to come back if he got worse. Last night he SUDDENLY got worse. We called the doctor but got no response. The Urgent Care office was closed sooooooo we went to the ER. He was promptly called back and had his vitals checked and then told to go back and wait in the lobby. After a while patients started getting restless and comparing stories. One woman had come in and they inserted an IV and told her she would be getting interveinous antibiotics. That was 10 hours earlier. One man was bleeding and needed sutures and had been waiting 5 hours. There were two very elderly people in wheelchairs who were on oxygen and were so weak that they could not hold their heads up. One of them had been there so long his oxygen tank had run out so they gave him another tank. One man was very frail and in a wheelchair and had been there alone for a very long time and needed to go to the restroom so the bleeding man assisted him to the toilet. One man covered in blankets and in a wheelchair looked very ill but his family finally gave up since he could no longer sit up and left. I don't know where they went. Several more gave up and left and several more came in. The last person coming in was told it might be a 24 hour wait. My husband decided he was not going to die unless he stayed there, so we too left. He suffered through the night and he saw our doctor this morning. I know Emergency rooms are busy and crowed but this was shameful. I might add that while my husband and I were concerned for his well being, my heart was breaking for some very sick and very elderly people who just really shouldn't be left sitting in a waiting room for hours on end. I hope they are doing well today.

I too had gto be taken by ambulance to the Villages ER. I laid on a gurney type bed in the hallway for nearly 8 hours. There were at least a dozn others in the hallway waiting for treatment. I began to feel a little better from what was a kidney stone attack and asked the attending doctor to sign a release allowing me to go home. I promised to see my urologist the following morning. It is my opinion that the staff is capable but very shorthanded as well as the doctors being seriously under staffed. I don't believe that the Villages Hospital is adequate in size and staff to provide proper ER service to a community as large as the Villages and the surrounding community. Ocala a smaller community than the Villages, has three major medical facilities. I hear many people say the problem is because the snow birds are here. This is nonsence, any hospital needs to be prepared for the worse case senerio not the best .

[daviskgb]

The size of a facility has little to do with the care provided. I have 35 years experience in Emergency Departments. It is about the processes that are in place to deliver the care. illage Regional Hospital could use some performance and process improvements.

[daviskgb]

Are you saying that coming by ambulance versus her husband driving her would have gotten her in sooner? I'm not talking travel time, I'm talking once they entered the building......do they treat and evaluate ambulance arrivals differently than non ambulance arrivals?

Yes, They do receive priority.

[tucson]

I was at TV ER today from 10:30a-5:30. I witnessed a EMT bring a patient into the waiting room w/her husband also in a wheelchair, stayed awhile w/them talking to them,etc. I thought he worked for the hospital until someone said he was an EMT! HUH??!! My husband's ENT doctor told him once (when she couldn't figure out what was causing his issue) "to go to Shands in Gainesville where the experts are", she said:" we're just a bunch of country doctors down here" !!!!! :-(

[KYDIANA12]

After reading 11 pages of comments on this issue I am more aware that this problem will only get worse in the coming years. Everyone was up in arms about the cancellation of the parades recently - why can't we be as outraged by the lack of good healthcare! It will only make a difference to you when you are the one waiting in the hallway of the ER and not being seen by a Dr. Living in a new Village we have been approached to have AED machines to help save lives until the EMT can arrive and take over. What happens when you then get to the ER and need immediate attention?

[ilovetv]

I was not going to address the multiple horror stories that I see on this thread. But this put me over the edge. I have been a hospital Nursing Administrator for 36 years. I am really sorry you think you got good car, but you did not. If you had acute appendicitis you should have had emergency surgery. There shoukd have been an oncall surgical team that woud have performed your surgery at any time. To wait until the next day put your life at risk for a ruptured appendix. This is sub standard. You did not rupture because of the care at TV hospital, it was because of the grace of God or luck or any other reason you want to attach to it. Not because of the care.

While I am here let me say in all my experience, I have never heard of the Emergency squad/EMT/Paramedics waiting in the ER with a patient. They bring the patient in, give a report to an RN, put the patient in an ER bed and leave. They must free themselves to be available to the community's emergencies. Waiting with a patient in the ER for 45 minutes leaves me speechless. No one available at The Sanibel Firehouse to respond to that fire at the guardhouse-I just don't know what to say.

Organization in the Er is administrative. Have they called in a Consultive team to help them determine how to correct this situation. Yes all ER depts are overcrowded, but again having your emercency response team wait with the patient is the hospital's fix for them not having beds or staff to care for the patient. We are in trouble more than you know.

I think you're wrong on this in bold. I've been told that Villages Fire Dept. EMT/Paramedics who respond to the calls do what's to be done to the patient on site, but that they do not transport. Transport is done by private ambulance, so that the fire dept. firemen-medics are freed up and available when the patient is taken to the hospital.

I could be wrong on that, but I know it's what I was told by an ER nurse at TVRH.

[tucson]

After reading 11 pages of comments on this issue I am more aware that this problem will only get worse in the coming years. Everyone was up in arms about the cancellation of the parades recently - why can't we be as outraged by the lack of good healthcare! It will only make a difference to you when you are the one waiting in the hallway of the ER and not being seen by a Dr. Living in a new Village we have been approached to have AED machines to help save lives until the EMT can arrive and take over. What happens when you then get to the ER and need immediate attention? Being a former Nurse Asst. I've been outraged since moving here 8 yrs ago at some things I've seen re;this issue in the ER.

[allairenjadea]

I'm happy for you that you had what you feel to be a positive experience. However, it does not excuse the terrible treatment that was experienced by the OP.

I agree, terrible treatment experienced by OP was inexcusable.

[allairenjadea]

I can't believe you had to wait for surgery in the morning for acute appendicitis - my mother had surgery almost immediately in Bradenton for acute appendicitis - it was in the evening around 10 p.m. - isn't there an on call surgeon at this hospital for things like this - what about heart problems?

Perhaps I was not clear, it was already morning, I was first up in OR.

[golf4me]

After reading 11 pages of comments on this issue I am more aware that this problem will only get worse in the coming years. Everyone was up in arms about the cancellation of the parades recently - why can't we be as outraged by the lack of good healthcare! It will only make a difference to you when you are the one waiting in the hallway of the ER and not being seen by a Dr. Living in a new Village we have been approached to have AED machines to help save lives until the EMT can arrive and take over. What happens when you then get to the ER and need immediate attention?

How do you propose it can be fixed?

[allairenjadea]

I was not going to address the multiple horror stories that I see on this thread. But this put me over the edge. I have been a hospital Nursing Administrator for 36 years. I am really sorry you think you got good car, but you did not. If you had acute appendicitis you should have had emergency surgery. There shoukd have been an oncall surgical team that woud have performed your surgery at any time. To wait until the next day put your life at risk for a ruptured appendix. This is sub standard. You did not rupture because of the care at TV hospital, it was because of the grace of God or luck or any other reason you want to attach to it. Not because of the care.

While I am here let me say in all my experience, I have never heard of the Emergency squad/EMT/Paramedics waiting in the ER with a patient. They bring the patient in, give a report to an RN, put the patient in an ER bed and leave. They must free themselves to be available to the community's emergencies. Waiting with a patient in the ER for 45 minutes leaves me speechless. No one available at The Sanibel Firehouse to respond to that fire at the guardhouse-I just don't know what to say.

Organization in the Er is administrative. Have they called in a Consultive team to help them determine how to correct this situation. Yes all ER depts are overcrowded, but again having your emercency response team wait with the patient is the hospital's fix for them not having beds or staff to care for the patient. We are in trouble more than you know.

I did not wait for surgery until the next day, it was already morning and I was first up in the OR. No grace of god or luck to it.
They got me in there and got it taken care of.

[allairenjadea]

I totally agree with you - my mother had acute appendicitis and had surgery immediately in Bradenton - it was 10 p.m. and the on call surgery team performed it - I don't understand this whole hospital situation here - it's very scary to me as a newcomer!

I did not wait until the next day...it was already the next day!

[allairenjadea]

Your extremely stated allegation that the poster got sub-standard care is beyond the pale and nearly libelous. I suspect that your years as a nursing administrator does not qualify you to know the care required for acute appendicitis. Here is the correct information: JAMA Network | JAMA Surgery | Effects of Delaying Appendectomy for Acute Appendicitis for 12 to 24 Hours (http://archsurg.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=398369)

"An approach to the treatment of acute appendicitis that includes the early administration of intravenous antibiotics and fluid hydration followed by the performance of appendectomy during the day hours does not increase the rate of complications, and it does not significantly increase the length of stay or rate of advanced appendicitis. In addition, this practice pattern decreases the need for operating during the late night hours or the interruption of the regular operating room schedule. Finally, it aids in focusing resources and operating room availability to life-threatening emergencies"

Thank you....

[Warren Kiefer]

The size of a facility has little to do with the care provided. I have 35 years experience in Emergency Departments. It is about the processes that are in place to deliver the care. illage Regional Hospital could use some performance and process improvements.

I could not disagree more with your statement. Let put it in simple terms. If your ER facilities have ER rooms for 10 patients, and on a single evening you have 100 ER patients, you will have a serious overload, and resulting unsatisfactory care for a lot of those patients. Performance and process have little to do with such a situation. Throw in this mix only one Emergency doctor and only four emergency nurses. All of this makes up the "facility" and it will fall short of providing the proper care for the patients no matter whay performance and process you utilize.

[pooh]

Remember the word.....triage. That's how it's done here and in ERs all around.

[rp001]

One almost common thought from these posts, is that the services provided by this facility are substandard, to say the least. None of us have the means, or the knowledge to make the changes necessary to correct this madness. One can only hope that the powers to be are listening and honestly trying to affect change. Last time this subject caused an uproar "they" started a campaign on the local radio flaunting the emergency care facility across 441, in an effort to lessen the challenges for the er. I still believe this facility is inundated with extremely POOR management, and they have their heads in the sand as far as how ANY business should be run. One thing for sure is they are certainly not impacting the brand "The Villages" in a positive way. Take the time to actually read the hospital rating provided by one poster, and it wasn't good..That will eventually be the driver that makes the necessary changes to make this truly the remarkable facility that it could be. The infrastructure is almost in place, now a plan and proper implementation are what's needed desperately. (Not a slam on the Morses so the defenders can take a break)..

[buzzy]

So what other hospital ER (not urgent care) should we choose, when the need arises?

[JourneyOfLife]

Some things that "might" be going on.

If say, 50% of those ER visits could have been handled at the doctor's office or at an Urgent Care facility (non-critical care). The hospitals may consider just working to improve accuracy of their triage assessments (i.e., ensure so no one dies while waiting or is harmed). The ER generates a lot of business, and if a lot of the patients are "not critical care" they may not be motivated to increase capacity unless it absolutely cannot meet demand. It could be a (relative to other operations) low expense, high revenue (huge number of visits) profit center (cash cow). Think about it, they have every financial motivation in the world to maximize the profit of any operation. As long as it works and does not generate lawsuits or result in people being harmed. For example, if a company can run an operation at 150% and not spend more money, since some of the expenses are fixed expenses or Stepped Variable (Fixed expense till saturation) , they might reap more profit.

Consider how the ER visits cause tests to be administered, medical supplies and medicine dispensed (other aspects of the hospital the generate profit) at the hospital and its other facilities. They may use the ER profit center to drive business to other areas of the facility and offset some other activities in the hospital where they suffer losses. If one has staff and test equipment... run it full on 24x7... why have people standing around at night?

Another possible motivation to let it continue.

If that area has a large number of uninsured that visit the ER... there may be no reimbursement (write-offs). It could be a move to limit financial losses... Assuming thier triage works well, long lines could result in people without serious problems choosing to go home and schedule a doctors visit the next day.

Add to those, the the expense of increasing operational capacity. With the economy being the way it is today, how many businesses today are wanting to "spend more" on plant and equipment and hire additional permanent staff.


Plus, consider the complications of the impact of health care law and what it might mean to their operations. Will the ER experience decreased use since unisured may now go to a doctor... or will it increase after all? My guess is they will build out once they see actual numbers.

One thing is for sure, the Administrator and Management watches activity, loads, staffing, and the money. They know exactly what is going on and they know why they are doing certain things.

If you feel it is a real problem and it is just the ER, get the local goverment involved. Citizen action! Don't wait for someone else to do the work. You do have representatives don't you? Raise the issue at local government meetings. Don't shutup till it is fixed!

The community (government or CCDs) could work with the hospital to expand the physical facility, they might even float some of the bonds to pay for part of the infrastructure to be built or do some sort of cost sharing arrangement to help the hospital build a larger ER.

For the ER, due to the high demand, the hospital could probably justify hiring more nurses (RNs). Likewise, because of the ER demand, they could put another ER doc or two on staff.

[Blessed2BNTV]

As I sit in the ER waiting room with a partial bowel obstruction I am concerned with the level of care in TV.

They say it will be a 5 hour wait. Called Leesburg and Ocala and they have along wait.

Thinking of going to Gainsville. Anyone have experience there?

[CFrance]

As I sit in the ER waiting room with a partial bowel obstruction I am concerned with the level of care in TV.

They say it will be a 5 hour wait. Called Leesburg and Ocala and they have along wait.

Thinking of going to Gainsville. Anyone have experience there?

I have heard good things about Shands hospital in Gainsville but have no direct experience. Good luck and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[glenn prescott]

I spent 10 + hrs in the e.r. down there in october, while my father was having open heart surgery upstairs I had an uncontrollable stomach issue no need to get graphic, but I too was sent back to waiting room screaming from abdominal pain went to use bathroom and found it plastered in blood, finally when I started to lose my mind I was given percoset for the pain and discharged, being a Paramedic I questioned this decison as I hadn't eaten for 2 days and percoset, wait for it... makes you vomit especially on an empty stomach I was treated like a drug seeker and by far was the worst care I have ever recieved I will take my little backwoods ER any day , I hope by the time I move there things are better

[CFrance]

I spent 10 + hrs in the e.r. down there in october, while my father was having open heart surgery upstairs I had an uncontrollable stomach issue no need to get graphic, but I too was sent back to waiting room screaming from abdominal pain went to use bathroom and found it plastered in blood, finally when I started to lose my mind I was given percoset for the pain and discharged, being a Paramedic I questioned this decison as I hadn't eaten for 2 days and percoset, wait for it... makes you vomit especially on an empty stomach I was treated like a drug seeker and by far was the worst care I have ever recieved I will take my little backwoods ER any day , I hope by the time I move there things are better

Are you talking about Shands ER or Villages ER? Just trying to clarify.

[tucson]

As I sit in the ER waiting room with a partial bowel obstruction I am concerned with the level of care in TV.

They say it will be a 5 hour wait. Called Leesburg and Ocala and they have along wait.

Thinking of going to Gainsville. Anyone have experience there?

Yes, I have had alot of experience at Shands. My husband goes there for his Primary Care and others. They saved my son's life when he was 3yrs old. My husband's former Dr. @ Mass.General in Boston referred him to go there when we moved here 8 yrs ago. We think we're very blessed to be only 55mi away to one of the best hospitals in the country! We've heard of people going there from far away as Miami.

[glenn prescott]

I'm sorry I was referring to Munroe, being a paramedic going on 31 years fire/ems I have been in the samllest of ER's to the biggest in boston and the care I recieved in florida was nothing short of horrific there triage system hmmm I wont post what is on the tip[ of my tongue right now but it was the worst care I have ever received bar none

[Maryland Girl]

I was very concerned about moving to TV because of the uncertainty of quality medical care. We have now been here 18 months and, overall, we are satisfied. Recently I had to be admitted to TVRH for blood clots which formed under my cast. I had to wait in the waiting room for over 6 hours. When I was finally taken back into the ER, there were people on gurneys in the hallway. I was given a room, placed on a gurney, hooked up to IV's and there I stayed for over 24 hours. I was told there were no beds upstairs. Finally, I did get a room on the second floor. The room was private and clean and the staff were absolutely wonderful. I think I got excellent care, including a CT scan to make absolutely certain it was the cast that had caused the blood clots and not something more serious. The CT found a pulmonary embolism. The experience was a mixed bag but then going to my PC doctor can be a mixed bag. I am grateful for the care I received and am even more grateful when I get my insurance benefit statements that say "Other Amounts Not Covered - 0.00."

[buzzy]

So what other hospital ER (not urgent care) should we choose, when the need arises?

Any suggestions?

[ilovetv]

I was very concerned about moving to TV because of the uncertainty of quality medical care. We have now been here 18 months and, overall, we are satisfied. Recently I had to be admitted to TVRH for blood clots which formed under my cast. I had to wait in the waiting room for over 6 hours. When I was finally taken back into the ER, there were people on gurneys in the hallway. I was given a room, placed on a gurney, hooked up to IV's and there I stayed for over 24 hours. I was told there were no beds upstairs. Finally, I did get a room on the second floor. The room was private and clean and the staff were absolutely wonderful. I think I got excellent care, including a CT scan to make absolutely certain it was the cast that had caused the blood clots and not something more serious. The CT found a pulmonary embolism. The experience was a mixed bag but then going to my PC doctor can be a mixed bag. I am grateful for the care I received and am even more grateful when I get my insurance benefit statements that say "Other Amounts Not Covered - 0.00."

These are important points in bold. It appears the doctors and nurses were paying attention and doing what needed to be done, but administrators apparently didn't care that your 24-hour stay in an ER room kept it from being used to treat 24 other people waiting in ER waiting area during that time.

[Blessed2BNTV]

Got here at 11 am had the CT scan right away. Was told it was a 5 hour wait in ER.

Got called back to an ER room at 8 pm, nurse finally came in at 8:45 pm

It's now 9:35 and I have not seen a physician. Took over an hour to find my CT scans.

Oh and there's fecal matter on the floor in my ER room.

I will NEVER use TV Hospital again.

I am private pay.

[Hancle704]

Yes 30 million more people being covered and nothing spent for additional hospital beds, larger staffed ER's, more Doctors or Nurses. Just more IRS agents to make sure people have coverage.

I recall the days when our doctor could order a direct admit because he was going to treat the patient in the hospital. Now most people go via ambulance or get driven to ER which is understaffed, does not have enough beds and the patients must wait for a bed to open up, then they are treated by hospitalist who have no prior relationship with the patient. Somehow this does not appear to be progress despite hospital being golf cart accessible.

[bluedog103]

Got here at 11 am had the CT scan right away. Was told it was a 5 hour wait in ER.

Got called back to an ER room at 8 pm, nurse finally came in at 8:45 pm

It's now 9:35 and I have not seen a physician. Took over an hour to find my CT scans.

Oh and there's fecal matter on the floor in my ER room.

I will NEVER use TV Hospital again.

I am private pay.

Thanks for the real time updates. I'm truly sorry for what you're going through. Hope things get better for you.

[gerryann]

Got here at 11 am had the CT scan right away. Was told it was a 5 hour wait in ER.

Got called back to an ER room at 8 pm, nurse finally came in at 8:45 pm

It's now 9:35 and I have not seen a physician. Took over an hour to find my CT scans.

Oh and there's fecal matter on the floor in my ER room.

I will NEVER use TV Hospital again.

I am private pay.

Sorry for your ordeal. Hope you get treatment soon...good treatment. Keep us posted.

[Russ_Boston]

Got here at 11 am had the CT scan right away. Was told it was a 5 hour wait in ER.

Got called back to an ER room at 8 pm, nurse finally came in at 8:45 pm

It's now 9:35 and I have not seen a physician. Took over an hour to find my CT scans.

Oh and there's fecal matter on the floor in my ER room.

I will NEVER use TV Hospital again.

I am private pay.

I assume the CT was for stroke? That is why they did it right away (within 1 hour is our standard). You can be assured that if your CT showed a blockage you would have been given TPA pronto. My guess is that your CT was negative and thus it was not urgent. Priorities rule the ER - that's just the way it is. Private pay has nothing to do with it.

[Quixote]

Just Wait till the new Affordable Healthcare law kicks in. You've seen nothing yet!!! 30 million more coming in thanks to americans who voted for it. And us seniors will be the First ones to feel it.

So what are those “thirty million more” doing for health care under the present system? Are the somewhat sick simply getting sicker, and the very sick just dying without access to care? This is America? What is wrong with this picture?

I must say that my one and only experience in a hospital ER in my entire life was at Villages Regional several years ago, the situation was extremely serious and, for me, the care was superb. It is obvious from this thread, however, that this has not been the case for everyone. As long as there are Americans--our fellow citizens--who do not have access to care and have no choice but to use hospital emergency rooms for what should be routine care, this problem will continue and possibly even worsen!

[Russ_Boston]

The place is opulent. It seems to me the money has been spent in all the wrong places. Simplify the decor

Seriously? Are you serious? OPULENT is the word you use?

Please - I work there 3 shifts a week as an RN and the place is almost the opposite of opulent. Yes we have a few well appointed rooms but the vast majority are just run of the mill hospital rooms. The cafeteria needs an upgrade, the staff rooms are small and under equipped. I could go on and on.

Yes, the hospital is expanding by about 100 beds (19 more in ER). But that will be awhile yet.

Yes, the wait can be long in ER and even longer to get a bed if admitted. But I see first hand when I work in ER that serious patients are seen to on a true triage rules basis.

Yes, some patients are way too demanding of the RN's and CNA's time with trivial matters that take away from our ability to handle the truly needy.

Yes we have things to work on but we have over 200K people (TV and locals with the vast majority being elderly) to serve. When you run the numbers it just doesn't work sometimes.

[blueash]

So what are those “thirty million more” doing for health care under the present system? Are the somewhat sick simply getting sicker, and the very sick just dying without access to care? This is America? What is wrong with this picture?

I must say that my one and only experience in a hospital ER in my entire life was at Villages Regional several years ago, the situation was extremely serious and, for me, the care was superb. It is obvious from this thread, however, that this has not been the case for everyone. As long as there are Americans--our fellow citizens--who do not have access to care and have no choice but to use hospital emergency rooms for what should be routine care, this problem will continue and possibly even worsen!

I suspect if they did a chest Xray on you, they would find that you actually have a heart, a good heart

[Blessed2BNTV]

CT scan was to check for blockages which showed a slight blockages in my bowel.

I am not a healthcare worker so I do not know protocol. In the 12 hours I was in the ER they never drew blood. They took my blood pressure when I arrived but did not taken any vitals when I finally went back to the ER. Mentioned to the nurse and he took my blood pressure - which was 9 hours after arriving.

I would think they would have drawn blood to check white blood cells - but they didn't.

I am blessed to be healthy so I checked myself out and leaving in the morning to go back to Atlanta, where we live most of the year.

I love TV - just not the healthcare system.

What I took from this experience was to check out healthcare before I really need it. Will be looking for primary care doc at Shands.

[Russ_Boston]

I would think they would have drawn blood to check white blood cells - but they didn't.

I assume you say that because you felt you had an infection? If they took your vitals on arrival you must not have had a raging fever or some action WOULD have been taken.

What is your prognosis going forward? How are you going to handle the bowel obstruction?

[johnsgt]

as a healthcare professional -- I will say to avoid the villages hospital at all costs -- they are completely overwhelmed and this is to the shame of the developer -- the hospital has clientele which are older and in need of this type of care and I believe that there are very few "charity" cases which take up space in the ER here -- thus there is not an unusual drain on resources and reimbursement to the hospital is much better than other parts of the country -- it is really simple -- the developer did not anticipate the need adequately -- go the the urgent care centers unless you are taken in by ambulance -- in that case -- ask to be taken to Leesburg Regional -- The villages hospital is understaffed and undersized -- and they failed to diagnose properly what was happening to my cousin when he went there -- he waited 7 hours, was sent home with pain medication, only to return 5 hours later in acute renal failure (which they completely missed -- despite the history of renal insufficiency) and died 2 hours after re-admission -- needless to say a lawsuit will be filed --- really to show that they cannot continue to operate in this manner.

[graciegirl]

as a healthcare professional -- I will say to avoid the villages hospital at all costs -- they are completely overwhelmed and this is to the shame of the developer -- the hospital has clientele which are older and in need of this type of care and I believe that there are very few "charity" cases which take up space in the ER here -- thus there is not an unusual drain on resources and reimbursement to the hospital is much better than other parts of the country -- it is really simple -- the developer did not anticipate the need adequately -- go the the urgent care centers unless you are taken in by ambulance -- in that case -- ask to be taken to Leesburg Regional -- The villages hospital is understaffed and undersized -- and they failed to diagnose properly what was happening to my cousin when he went there -- he waited 7 hours, was sent home with pain medication, only to return 5 hours later in acute renal failure (which they completely missed -- despite the history of renal insufficiency) and died 2 hours after re-admission -- needless to say a lawsuit will be filed --- really to show that they cannot continue to operate in this manner.

I see you are new to the forum. I do want to point out to you that the developer built the building and rents the space but the hospital is run by the Health Alliance which also runs the Leesburg Hospital.
http://www.cfhalliance.org/

[pbeecher]

I am new to the forum (as a poster) as well. I have followed items of interest for the last four years, however. This subject will obviously remain a
matter of opinion based on personal experiance. I've had just one with our ER a year ago when I assisted a neighbor with a bladder problem. I would consider that experiance middle-of-the-road; six hours.
I try to follow my wife's advice to "just drink the Kool-Aid". The developer no
longer "owns" the Daily Sun either. Is it coincidence that we have what I consider a shameless puff piece on page D4 of the 4/17 edition? I don't consider it so in light of the majority opinion in the 14 pages of this thread.

[Russ_Boston]

One more post on the subject:

I would say that the overwhelming majority of patients in the ER are not actual emergencies. My professional guess would be in the neighborhood of 70%.

Another issue would be the number of cases that get admitted to the non critical floors (like mine) is way too high. The problem with that is I have at least 2 patients a day, out of my usual 6, that just want to go home. And they just got there a few hours ago after waiting in the ER for a bed to open upstairs. They complain all day about wanting me to get the doctor for them so they can be released. When I tell them that the doc "will be here at some point in the day after they are done with their critical patients" they complain about the medical system.

We also have a very high number of dumps. Families who are just tired of taking care of their family members. They know the medicare rules by heart and will 'dump' their loved one in ER knowing that in 3 days Medicare will pay for another stint in rehab. They dump the patient at ER and then never come see them in the hospital. Most of these patients are not medically needy enough to take up the room on the medical floor but we can't just call a taxi for them and send them home so they occupy a room that could otherwise be used to free up the ER holds. Sad but very, very true.

OK enough ranting - off to golf:)

[Quixote]

I suspect if they did a chest Xray on you, they would find that you actually have a heart, a good heart

Thank you for your kind words. My parents raised me with the edict that we do not live in isolation and that I have responsibility for others less fortunate than I—and that some of those “others” will be there when I am on the less fortunate end. I have been in both positions—where I serve others, and where I have needed others to serve me—and I have consistently found myself grateful for my parents’ values, in both receiving AND in giving.

When I first posted about my positive experience at the ER, I should have explained that I was there for an accident, not an illness. It was very clear what the ER staff and I were dealing with, it was a quiet morning, bleeding on the floor of the waiting room didn’t help (or maybe it did?...), it took them FIVE HOURS to put me back together (part of which time was discharge planning in that they would not release me until a referral to an appropriate surgeon within 24 hours was in place), and only after that time did someone from the business office come to me looking for insurance information.

But the story hadn’t finished. I wrote a letter commending the three staff members: a PA, who single-mindedly focused on his task of putting me back together, as though no one existed in the world but him and me; a CNA, a young kid who had the uncanny knack of focusing on what the PA needed from him while at the same time focusing on me and what I was dealing with; and a Radiology Tech who came three times with her portable x-ray machine to provide the PA with visual progress and who did so like an angel with THE most incredible gentleness, compassion, and reassurance. (Sadly, too many people don’t take the time to compliment when it’s appropriate; complaints are another story….)

In a few days I received a delighted and at the same time puzzled phone call from the hospital administrator, thanking me for recognizing these staff members—and then adding that NO ONE on the staff of the hospital matched my description (which my spouse agreed with) of the Radiology Tech, nor did my case notes give any identification of the “angel” who had done the x-rays that had allowed the PA to do his work and ultimately see that he had completed it. The administrator may have been puzzled; I was not. All I knew is that those values that my parents had raised me with had been right there with me!

[OnTrack]

So what are those “thirty million more” doing for health care under the present system? Are the somewhat sick simply getting sicker, and the very sick just dying without access to care? This is America? What is wrong with this picture?

BINGO!!!!

It's pretty pathetic when we start wishing other people didn't have access to basic medical care........just so we can move up in the line. :rolleyes:

Too bad there isn't a pill that can instill tolerance and compassion. Of course, some would refuse to take it.




As to the ER here, I've heard of so many horror stories (on here and from neighbors)....that I will do everything possible to avoid it.

On the other hand, my wife's visit to the ER at Waterman last year....wasn't exactly confidence inspiring either. :(

.

[OnTrack]

Hopefully this will not be deleted as political, but you completely misunderstand the workings of the ACA. The ER's are in part overcrowded because people DON'T have insurance. ER's are required to provide evaluation without regard to the financial coverage of the patient. So the uninsured use the ER for primary care and minor illnesses. We still hear people say we don't need universal health insurance as poor people can get great free care in the ER, so everyone really already gets needed medical care. Once people have insurance, they will be able to go to primary care doctors and NP/PA's and not overcrowd the ER, and in fact get their care at much lower cost per incident. The ACA will hugely improve the ability of ER's to return to their mission of providing emergency care.

Great post, in trying to get facts....to trump emotions.

.

[OnTrack]

YEA, we should just let those 30 Million people die on the street and let us more fortunate ones have better faster care. :ohdear:

That certainly seems to be the attitude of some. :(

.

[JourneyOfLife]

Hopefully this will not be deleted as political, but you completely misunderstand the workings of the ACA. The ER's are in part overcrowded because people DON'T have insurance. ER's are required to provide evaluation without regard to the financial coverage of the patient. So the uninsured use the ER for primary care and minor illnesses. We still hear people say we don't need universal health insurance as poor people can get great free care in the ER, so everyone really already gets needed medical care. Once people have insurance, they will be able to go to primary care doctors and NP/PA's and not overcrowd the ER, and in fact get their care at much lower cost per incident. The ACA will hugely improve the ability of ER's to return to their mission of providing emergency care.

The same situation might occur in terms of overall inpatient hospital beds. People that are not proactive about their health may end up with more serious problems and have a higher chance of become an inpatient for something that they might have addressed with acute or chronic disease management with visits to the doctor's office.

ACA could have the effect of more beds available to the overall population because funding is available for uninsured people and they are more proactive in getting treatment.

I have heard that some private for profit hospitals might refuse to treat uninsured patients, other than perhaps to stabilize them in an immediate life threatening situation. Further more, I have heard that they usually send the uninsured on to a public or non-profit profit hospital that will treat them.

If that is true, then those unused beds in certain facilities that do not accept the uninsured, those might be opened up for use to those people, in effect reducing capacity strain on average.

I tend to expect that capacity strain may be more likely at some doctors' offices. Some areas may be worse than others. Apparently Texas has a very large uninsured population... no surprise there. They have been exploiting certain difference between states to try to attract certain businesses. But that is another topic!

We need to keep in mind, the uninsured only represent 10% of the population. That is a large number, but not an unworkable number!

I am sure there will be some snags along the way, but I am confident that it will all get sorted out and work. But it might take a few years and we may experience a few bumps in the road along the way.

[rp001]

Wow, I can't believe the fluff piece on the editorial section of today's paper praising this er...The description doesn't, in any way, reflect what I witnessed on my two trips there. I saw a lot more than "sick" individuals waiting treatment in the er, And some were in excruciating pain, one was an elderly lady abandoned in a wheel chair for several hours, one a diagnosed stroke patient waiting to be seen,(his wife was a nurse there and she pulled him out of the er and took him to Leesburg), A young man with a dislocated shoulder left in a wheelchair. It's very sad and to me, still is obviously, extremely poor management and the pr folks are already trying to put a spin on it. How sad. At least they know folks are speaking up on this forum.

[jblum315]

Leesburg Medical Center is only 10 minutes away

[Nipper]

Hopefully this will not be deleted as political, but you completely misunderstand the workings of the ACA. The ER's are in part overcrowded because people DON'T have insurance. ER's are required to provide evaluation without regard to the financial coverage of the patient. So the uninsured use the ER for primary care and minor illnesses. We still hear people say we don't need universal health insurance as poor people can get great free care in the ER, so everyone really already gets needed medical care. Once people have insurance, they will be able to go to primary care doctors and NP/PA's and not overcrowd the ER, and in fact get their care at much lower cost per incident. The ACA will hugely improve the ability of ER's to return to their mission of providing emergency care.


Thank you for your intelligent, rational post.

[Russ_Boston]

Leesburg Medical Center is only 10 minutes away


Same company - same management - same nurses - same doctors. For the most part. I work both.

[gerryann]

Same company - same management - same nurses - same doctors. For the most part. I work both.

So, why the difference? Doesn't it then have to be the volume of patients that TV has? So, going to Leesburg must be a smart move???

[JourneyOfLife]

Same company - same management - same nurses - same doctors. For the most part. I work both.



If citizens do not feel the current hospital provider is responsive to their needs then what?

Competition is good!

Instead of adding more of the same.... should citizens press local government to seek a different company to build a new hospital that is run by a top competing company.

Maybe a few of the TV residents should start a TV Club to organize a citizens action committee to take it to local local government.

[justjim]

Given the population of TV and surrounding area, TV Hospital is not large enough to handle the number of patients (especially in the winter) given their age and it doesn't take a smart person to figure that out! Apparently, it takes(1) money and (2) political clout to get the job done. hmmnn.....

[graciegirl]

Keep in mind what triage does. It is someone who makes the call who is seen first and if I remember correctly, I am not a medical person, that constitutes people with immediate life threatening emergencies, such as those unable to breathe, severe blood loss, strokes and heart attacks.

Broken bones, severe pain, cuts that are not hemoraghing, severe sprains, stomach pain without fever, etc,etc,etc,....all terrible and ugly and awful but not immediately life threatening.

We had a friend who snowbirds and who had a blood seepage into the brain from being on blood thinners and she was given a CT scan in the ER and had to stay overnight on a bed in the hall there until she could be given a room, but she was being observed and her vitals were taken, at the proper intervals but she wasn't in a comfortable private room. She was telling us last night that she was then content with the care given her. She like many of us who have the problems of age where she must take blood thinners or she gets clots in her legs and too much can cause a brain bleed. Her problem was indeed serious.

Serious and life theatening but not immediately life threatening but they were watching her for any change that would make her condition immediately life threatening.

[ilovetv]

Given the population of TV and surrounding area, TV Hospital is not large enough to handle the number of patients (especially in the winter) given their age and it doesn't take a smart person to figure that out! Apparently, it takes(1) money and (2) political clout to get the job done. hmmnn.....

Good to think about. And that when government (Congress) "gives" money to improve healthcare financing for one sector of the population (as is truly needed for the percentage that's uninsured or "uninsurable"), it takes from another sector....that's already in deep financial trouble.

"....Medicare is already paying more in benefits than it receives in income.

As a result, the Medicare trustees in their most recent report issued a “Medicare funding warning” again, for the sixth straight year. Yet despite the looming crisis, before lawmakers start cutting benefits, raising premiums or increasing taxes, let’s fix Medicare first and make it worth saving.

Over the years, Medicare has become more complicated and confusing for the beneficiaries covered...."
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/opinion/sunday/sunday-dialogue-the-future-of-medicare.html

The writer, an economist, is a clinical associate professor of social welfare at Stony Brook University and a former senior investigator for the New York State attorney general’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

[rp001]

One thing for sure...This certainly is not "world class medical care"...let the flames begin

[gerryann]

One thing for sure...This certainly is not "world class medical care"...let the flames begin

I should have done my homework when deciding where to move. We all wonder about activities, restaurants, golf courses, etc...but a good percentage did not check out the existing health care and hospitals. I for one wish I had.

[graciegirl]

One thing for sure...This certainly is not "world class medical care"...let the flames begin

You won't get flamed by me. It is a very big problem.

My husband calls me a doctor snob. I think that it is because I have been spoiled by having some excellent facilities near where we lived.

And having never been old before this is the FIRST time I have encountered some of the pesky and annoying and even worrisome stuff that comes with age.

The opportunity does present itself right here to have a world class hospital and medical community that specializes in geriatrics, health issues pertaining to aging, but just how you attract that kind of facility and how it would be funded is beyond my knowledge. I know it doesn't just drop from the sky.

Boston's Childrens is the number one Childrens medical facility in the entire country by all determining factors and proudly Cincinnati Childrens is number three, but I don't know how they got to be so good.

The bottom line somewhere is always the money and the funding and the reseach money too, maybe...I don't know

Another issue that is probably a factor in the problem is that the phenomenal growth in this area has happened mostly in the last ten years and we may be still flying under the radar of the folks who are drawn to make medical history by coming here and helping us.

I don't know. It is a problem and it is frightening and that is the reason that this thread is so intense and heated.

But sometimes it isn't anyone's fault. And sometimes there are no easy fixes.

[ilovetv]

About regretting a move to TV because of the hospital and ER, let's keep it in perspective.

If the ER and other departments were comparatively all that "substandard", I think the JCAHO would certainly put a halt to it, and fast. See accreditation linked below for TVRH.

Also, when TV residents lived in, for example, MD, NY, MA, OH, MN, AZ, CA.....how many of us were a 10-minute car or golf-cart ride away from major medical centers like Johns Hopkins, Mt. Sinai-NYC, Massachusetts General, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Ohio State, UCLA, etc.???

We were usually 20 to 70 miles away from major medical centers like this, and now, here in TV we are 50 miles from Univ. of FL Gainesville Shands and Orlando, 80+ miles from Tampa, and 4(?) hour drive from Miami.

People on this thread have already stated that the wait times and sense of inadequate attention at other ER's near and far from here are not much better.

SEE JCAHO Accreditation:
QualityReport (http://www.qualitycheck.org/qualityreport.aspx?hcoid=385115#)

The Joint Commission (TJC), formerly the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and previous to that the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH), is a United States-based nonprofit organization that accredits more than 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. A majority of state governments have come to recognize Joint Commission accreditation as a condition of licensure and the receipt of Medicaid reimbursement. Surveys (inspections) typically follow a triennial cycle, with findings made available to the public in an accreditation quality report on the Quality Check Web site. (wikipedia)

[perrjojo]

Many have posted that the developer SHOULD do something about this sitituation and I think that is happening with the new Villages Healthcare. The problem right now is that this will take time.....a long time. The new clinics can be quickly built but it takes time to staff these clinics with quality healthcare providers. Good physicians don' t just stop their practice and move to TV. One thing being promised at the new clinics is that someone will be on call24/7. That will be a great help with the less critical visits to the ER. But again, this is not happening over night. When I first started this thread, it was not my intent to BASH the hospital or the staff. I was merely reporting what I witnessed and what I witnessed was not a good picture. I have been in ERs in large cities and it is never a pleasant experience but I felt a great empathy for the long wait and suffering I saw from several other patients. Just because it is that way everywhere, does not mean it's OK. What I would like to see come of these 157 plus post is an effort to get physicians who will see or at least talk to their patient in prompt time frame. I would like to see an Urgent Care facility that is open 24/7. Maybe we need to make this a priority rather than whether or not we get a new Costco or Traders Joe's. of course that would be nice too.

[perrjojo]

RUSS_BOSTON. I have used urgent care in the past and been satisfied but most close at 7 or 8. Is there an Urgent Care in our area with longer hours.

[looneycat]

These stories have been talked about for years. Does anybody but me wonder why the powers that be allow it (?) to continue?

There are other options outside TV......but some say they are too far to go.
How far could one go in the same 3-5 hour time waiting in TV ER?

Until or unless something changes TV hospital is not on my list of choices.

btk

I have numerous 'issues' and turn to Shands hospital for treatment and exams. Have yet to find a quality doctor here.

[Warren Kiefer]

Keep in mind what triage does. It is someone who makes the call who is seen first and if I remember correctly, I am not a medical person, that constitutes people with immediate life threatening emergencies, such as those unable to breathe, severe blood loss, strokes and heart attacks.

Broken bones, severe pain, cuts that are not hemoraghing, severe sprains, stomach pain without fever, etc,etc,etc,....all terrible and ugly and awful but not immediately life threatening.

We had a friend who snowbirds and who had a blood seepage into the brain from being on blood thinners and she was given a CT scan in the ER and had to stay overnight on a bed in the hall there until she could be given a room, but she was being observed and her vitals were taken, at the proper intervals but she wasn't in a comfortable private room. She was telling us last night that she was then content with the care given her. She like many of us who have the problems of age where she must take blood thinners or she gets clots in her legs and too much can cause a brain bleed. Her problem was indeed serious.

Serious and life theatening but not immediately life threatening but they were watching her for any change that would make her condition immediately life threatening.

No one should have to sit in an emergency room for up to 12 hours. If this is the case, then the facility is not large enough to treat both the more serious and also the less serious. Backlogs do happen but they should not be the norm in any hospital. There should be staff and provisions, perhaps at another area, to treat the less serious while the more serious are being given the necessary accute care in the ER.

[looneycat]

I do have one rule of thumb, however, if I wait more than an hour past my appointment on two successive visits I change doctor. Any Dr. that overbooks to that extent has already told me, by these actions, just how much they care about their patients....when not due to REAL emergencies. I also have been amazed at how many physicians here are willing to trust the front desk of their practice to complete nincompoops!

[RedChariot]

No one should have to sit in an emergency room for up to 12 hours. If this is the case, then the facility is not large enough to treat both the more serious and also the less serious. Backlogs do happen but they should not be the norm in any hospital. There should be staff and provisions, perhaps at another area, to treat the less serious while the more serious are being given the necessary accute care in the ER.

Ok I'm going to venture into this thread again against my better judgement. Last time another poster pretty much told me I did not know standards of care because I was in Nursing Administration. What? Who do you think sees to it that hospital policy is adheared to? Anyway, on this issue of being in the ER for so many hours. The state required adequate care to the ER patient that is admitted and no available beds in house. We built a seperate area. Patients were taken off the ER stretcher and put in a hospital bed. I had to see that there was adequate staffing for that ER holding area. We even had critical patients on ventilators. Critical Care certified RNs were staffed there. In addition Medical-Surgical patients were held there with Med/Surg certified RNs. Too many situations can present themselves in acute care to discuss here. We had to find the answer.

[rp001]

Ok I'm going to venture into this thread again against my better judgement. Last time another poster pretty much told me I did not know standards of care because I was in Nursing Administration. What? Who do you think sees to it that hospital policy is adheared to? Anyway, on this issue of being in the ER for so many hours. The state required adequate care to the ER patient that is admitted and no available beds in house. We built a seperate area. Patients were taken off the ER stretcher and put in a hospital bed. I had to see that there was adequate staffing for that ER holding area. We even had critical patients on ventilators. Critical Care certified RNs were staffed there. In addition Medical-Surgical patients were held there with Med/Surg certified RNs. Too many situations can present themselves in acute care to discuss here. We had to find the answer.


Sounds like your facility was willing to spend a little money and actually manage those that were in limbo. What is the difference from your operation than that at the villages? Is it only money or having the knowledge and ability to manage the circumstances? In my opinion what is missing here is just plain management. What they do have leaves a lot to be desired.

[RedChariot]

Sounds like your facility was willing to spend a little money and actually manage those that were in limbo. What is the difference from your operation than that at the villages? Is it only money or having the knowledge and ability to manage the circumstances? In my opinion what is missing here is just plain management. What they do have leaves a lot to be desired.

We were a facility that was in an under privledged area. Non Profit. Often in the red. Have the state walk in and ask you why each patient was being held in the ER will keep you on your toes. If you do not provide organized care, it can open you up for liability. We were in the business of caring for people. The patient was our priority. Nursing needed to set up another Nursing Unit called ER Holding. ER dept staffed it. Senior Nursing Adm on duty made the decision on where that staff was being relocated from. Used Critical Care agencys and Per Diem nurses, in addition to our own staff. All documentation and care was exactly the same as any other unit in hospital. Cardiac monitors, Nursing assessments, pneumonia screenings all the same. So the standard in house was the same as the ER Holding. We were not in a seasonal community, but there are busy times in all hospitals. Flu season could be overwhelming with many sick elderly patients. Senior Nursing Adm would prioritize with the ED physician and staff on who needed the bed first. We were a teaching facility and the Residents were part of the solution. An On Call Operating Room and staff was available for emergency ORs. I so understand the issues TVH is facing. I cannot speak to what they have done to provide care and comfort for those waiting for a bed. As others have said, I am concerned about health care in FL.

[janmcn]

While watching the horrific coverage from Boston the last two days, anyone can see what a difference some of the best healthcare in the country makes. The paramedics had a choice of some of the best hospitals in the country within a mile and a half including MA General, Tufts, Beth-Israel, Brigham and Women's, and Children's Hospital. Lives were saved because of the superior treatment these people received.

Whether you live or die seems to depend on what part of the country in which you live. They also have universal health care which covers about 90 plus percent of adults and 100 percent of children, and of which 85 percent are very pleased.

[mommieswamie]

One more post on the subject:

We also have a very high number of dumps. Families who are just tired of taking care of their family members. They know the medicare rules by heart and will 'dump' their loved one in ER knowing that in 3 days Medicare will pay for another stint in rehab. They dump the patient at ER and then never come see them in the hospital. Most of these patients are not medically needy enough to take up the room on the medical floor but we can't just call a taxi for them and send them home so they occupy a room that could otherwise be used to free up the ER holds. Sad but very, very true.

OK enough ranting - off to golf:)

I have no idea why I am responding to this, as I am now at Mayo Clinic and a full plate already, except that part of your post, for lack of a better word, infuriated me.

Not everyone who is admitted under the scenario that you describe above is a "dump". We are only one family so I can only speak to our experience. I have cared for my husband at home for four years as he declined with a progressive neurological disease. Last fall, I took him to The Villages ER on the instructions of our primary care doctor for a possibly very serious condition. He did not have the very serious condition, but after being examined by the ER doctors, the decision was made to admit him. I went home as I was quite sick myself. I was never able to visit him in the hospital as I was ill the entire time he was there. He was then transferred to a rehab hospital.

What guaranteed do I have that my husband was not one of those that you consider to be a "dump"? After all, by your definition and description, he fits the picture exactly. My husband never was and never will be a "dump." He is loved beyond description.

[jimmy D]

Terrible I know that Munroe or Leesburg and Waterman at Taveras are much better I am sorry for your troubles. Waterman, Leesburg and Munroe acce[t United and PCP

[gomoho]

World class health care would be awesome, but I for one would prefer living somewhere that provides world class living. I can't imagine sitting in a city that provides the best health care with nothing else to do, but wait to have use that. So when you think you should have thought twice about moving here because of health care you might want to think again. No, it's not right at your door, but it is within reach.

[gerryann]

World class health care would be awesome, but I for one would prefer living somewhere that provides world class living. I can't imagine sitting in a city that provides the best health care with nothing else to do, but wait to have use that. So when you think you should have thought twice about moving here because of health care you might want to think again. No, it's not right at your door, but it is within reach.

Everyone has their priorities.

[ilovetv]

While watching the horrific coverage from Boston the last two days, anyone can see what a difference some of the best healthcare in the country makes. The paramedics had a choice of some of the best hospitals in the country within a mile and a half including MA General, Tufts, Beth-Israel, Brigham and Women's, and Children's Hospital. Lives were saved because of the superior treatment these people received.

Whether you live or die seems to depend on what part of the country in which you live. They also have universal health care which covers about 90 plus percent of adults and 100 percent of children, and of which 85 percent are very pleased.

As much as the bad ER situations at TVRH are absolutely appalling, I don't think it's fair to compare care at The Villages Regional Hospital that's about 13 years old to Boston hospitals that have been in existence since the founding of our nation and are centuries old.

Also, the wealthy seaport and international trade center of Boston was a lot different economically than this pasture land here in what was one of the poorest counties in FL when TV was starting to build.

I was going to list just the founding dates of the Boston hospitals mentioned, but I thought this was interesting stuff:

Massachusetts General founded in 1811

Tufts Medical Center's origins date back to 1796 when the Boston Dispensary was established as the first permanent medical facility in New England, and one of the first in the United States. Early donors included Paul Revere.

In 1894, the Boston Floating Hospital was established by a Congregational minister, the Rev. Rufus Tobey. At the time, many believed in the cleansing and therapeutic qualities of sea air to improve health, and Tobey had heard of a hospital ship for children in New York. For the next 33 years, two successive ships were home to the hospital for children in Boston Harbor.

In 1931, after the second Floating Hospital for Children ship was destroyed in a fire, the hospital was relocated to a permanent building onshore.[3]
New England Medical Center was established in 1930 as a union of the Boston Dispensary, the Boston Floating Hospital for Children, and the Trustees of Tufts College. The Pratt Diagnostic Clinic was added in 1946, and in 1950 when Tufts University School of Medicine and Tufts University School of Dental Medicine relocated to Chinatownthe name was expanded to New England Medical Center Hospital.[

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston, Massachusetts is a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. It was formed out of the 1996 merger of Beth Israel Hospital (founded in 1916) and New England Deaconess Hospital (founded in 1896).

Among independent teaching hospitals, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center consistently ranks in the top three recipients of biomedical research funding from the National Institutes of Health. Research funding totals nearly $200 million annually.

Brigham and Women's represents the 1980 merger of three Harvard-affiliated Boston hospitals:
Peter Bent Brigham Hospital established in 1913
Robert Breck Brigham Hospital established in 1914
Boston Hospital for Women established in 1966 as a merger of:
Boston Lying-In Hospital established in 1832 as one of America’s first maternity hospitals
Free Hospital for Women established in 1875

Children's was founded in 1869 as a 20-bed facility at 9 Rutland Street in Boston's South End and became affiliated with Harvard Medical School in 1903. Below is a partial list* of historic milestones:
1891: Children's establishes the nation's first laboratory for the modification and production of bacteria-free milk.
1920: Dr. William Ladd devises procedures for correcting various congenital defects such as intestinal malformations, launching the specialty of pediatric surgery.
(Wikipedia)

[rp001]

World class health care would be awesome, but I for one would prefer living somewhere that provides world class living. I can't imagine sitting in a city that provides the best health care with nothing else to do, but wait to have use that. So when you think you should have thought twice about moving here because of health care you might want to think again. No, it's not right at your door, but it is within reach.

The sad truth is that it could be, and is advertised as "world class". Someone has got to be kidding or just has their head in the sand

[graciegirl]

The sad truth is that it could be, and is advertised as "world class". Someone has got to be kidding or just has their head in the sand

I don't recall reading those exact words. But my memory isn't what it used to be. Can you link us?

[rp001]

I don't recall reading those exact words. But my memory isn't what it used to be. Can you link us?

Just part of the "Marcus Welby" advertisements that had been floating around here.

[rp001]

The whole Moffitt center advertisement campaign.

[hotrodgirl]

The TV ER is the one thing that concerns me about having moved here. My hospital in the Chicago suburbs has been around approximately 20 years and truly has wonderful doctors and nurses. World class? We are used to quality healthcare there and advanced technology and I would expect nothing less. It runs like a well oiled machine most often, and I am comfortable recommending it. Here, not so much. I believe I would prefer Ocala or U of FL in Gainesville if there were time. I have heard about the wait time from neighbors who have also stated a lack of concern for patients. Shameful! I do hope for improvement in the future as TV continues to grow. I must also admit I have not personally had to use the ER here, so I hope what I understand from those I have spoken with is partially hearsay? Then again, they have no reason not to tell the truth... It is the one caveat in my otherwise near perfect world here in the bubble!

[gerryann]

The TV ER is the one thing that concerns me about having moved here. My hospital in the Chicago suburbs has been around approximately 20 years and truly has wonderful doctors and nurses. World class? We are used to quality healthcare there and advanced technology and I would expect nothing less. It runs like a well oiled machine most often, and I am comfortable recommending it. Here, not so much. I believe I would prefer Ocala or U of FL in Gainesville if there were time. I have heard about the wait time from neighbors who have also stated a lack of concern for patients. Shameful! I do hope for improvement in the future as TV continues to grow. I must also admit I have not personally had to use the ER here, so I hope what I understand from those I have spoken with is partially hearsay? Then again, they have no reason not to tell the truth... It is the one caveat in my otherwise near perfect world here in the bubble!

I feel as you do and it does worry me. I had a fantastic healthcare system within minutes in Wisconsin. Prior to living in TV, I was in Naples, Florida with also exceptional healthcare choices. I don't believe TV's hospital is bad, it is just overwhelmed with the amount of patients. TV is bursting at the seams.

[dillywho]

Since you're ready to blame the "young & the poor" you might want to know that the average age of a TVRH patient is...78.

My apologies since I seem to have offended you. I reread your other post about the people with means which referenced leaving a portion of their estate. I agree with that statement. Some very wealthy people often build a wing. I was not slamming the young & poor as a whole. I'm old and certainly not rich....comfortable right now, yes, and we have to live very modestly. I realize that some people are not even as fortunate as we are.

I'll try again. If someone can afford to smoke these days and get numerous tatoos (don't know what they cost but understand the good ones are not cheap), body piercings, drive new cars, etc. then they should be able to contribute to their own health care. If they feel good enough to go across the street for a smoke before waiting to be seen, then what is the emergency? BTW, it was dusk and there were some Urgent Cares still open until midnight. Why not go there?

[applesoffh]

Well, at least ONE person had excellent and immediate care in TV Hospital! Did you real the column in today's SUN? Honestly, it had to be written in response to all the complaints both on TOTV and around the "compoud". We must all be crazy, because the columnist said it was just wonderful! Sorry I can't remember her name...already tossed the paper.

[OnTrack]

Well, at least ONE person had excellent and immediate care in TV Hospital! Did you real the column in today's SUN? Honestly, it had to be written in response to all the complaints both on TOTV and around the "compoud". We must all be crazy, because the columnist said it was just wonderful! Sorry I can't remember her name...already tossed the paper.

I too saw that article in the Happy Paper and couldn't help but think the same thing...that its purpose was to mitigate the criticism.

If I believed in those type of pure coincidences, I would be smiling at the irony.

Alas, I don't..........and I'm not.

.

[Russ_Boston]

RUSS_BOSTON. I have used urgent care in the past and been satisfied but most close at 7 or 8. Is there an Urgent Care in our area with longer hours.

Not to my knowledge but perhaps others will chime in.

As it relates to another post: To my knowledge Leesburg goes on ER diversion (I get notified by e-mail when it happens to either) more than TVRH does so it may be a hit or miss as far as shorter wait times in the ER.

Also: CFHA (which is the parent of TVRH and Leesburg) runs two urgent care facilities, one at each location. So please don't always run to the ER unless it is EMERGENT or off hours.

And yes we came through with very high marks in most categories in our last JCAHO visit. And boy do they get picky!

[Russ_Boston]

Have you noticed that the vast majority of posters who are complaining mention wait times in the ER. Yes that can be one concern but since ALL real serious cases can seen immediately (or very close to immediate) why the real debate?

Now if you had concerns with the operation you received or the cardiac cath you got or the knee/hip replacement etc. then that would be different. That is how to measure a hospital not the ER wait times for non life threatening conditions.

I think most posters are barking up the wrong tree and extrapolating the ER waits into horrible medical care comments.

If someone has comments on care after they were admitted I'd love to try and answer them. I only have 1 1/2 years at TRVH but I know the system and the docs quite well now.

[gerryann]

Have you noticed that the vast majority of posters who are complaining mention wait times in the ER. Yes that can be one concern but since ALL real serious cases can seen immediately (or very close to immediate) why the real debate?

Now if you had concerns with the operation you received or the cardiac cath you got or the knee/hip replacement etc. then that would be different. That is how to measure a hospital not the ER wait times for non life threatening conditions.

I think most posters are barking up the wrong tree and extrapolating the ER waits into horrible medical care comments.

If someone has comments on care after they were admitted I'd love to try and answer them. I only have 1 1/2 years at TRVH but I know the system and the docs quite well now.

Russ, you are correct about the concerns being about the ER, but the topic starter was "TV emergency room". Now....start a new thread about "successful/unsuccessful surgery at TV hospital". I personally don't know how that would pan out....but, I would guess (hope) that it would be positive.

[blueash]

I have numerous 'issues' and turn to Shands hospital for treatment and exams. Have yet to find a quality doctor here.

Shands in both Gainesville and Jacksonville have been given special legislative protection against having to pay malpractice awards over 200,000. So if they take out the wrong kidney or forget to give you oxygen while you are in surgery your ability to collect is severely limited whereas I believe no other hospital in Florida except Jackson Memorial in Miami has a similar limitation. The hospital itself is a teaching hospital. It is fairly well ranked and has some fields ranked in the top 50's nationally. Shands at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL Rankings - US News Best Hospitals (http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/area/fl/shands-at-the-university-of-florida-6390283/rankings)

[rp001]

Have you noticed that the vast majority of posters who are complaining mention wait times in the ER. Yes that can be one concern but since ALL real serious cases can seen immediately (or very close to immediate) why the real debate?

Now if you had concerns with the operation you received or the cardiac cath you got or the knee/hip replacement etc. then that would be different. That is how to measure a hospital not the ER wait times for non life threatening conditions.

I think most posters are barking up the wrong tree and extrapolating the ER waits into horrible medical care comments.

If someone has comments on care after they were admitted I'd love to try and answer them. I only have 1 1/2 years at TRVH but I know the system and the docs quite well now.

Sorry Russ, have to disagree with you...The majority of the negative posts did complain about waiting times, but in addition some of us pointed out what we had seen there in regards to lack of care and suffering to the extreme. As I've said before, I personally witnessed a young man with an obviously dislocated shoulder, moaning in pain in a wheelchair for 8 hrs...I witnessed a diagnosed stroke patient, with spouse that worked there, leave for another hospital after sitting for 6 hrs unattended, and elderly in wheelchairs left unattended for hrs..In no way do I see this as any form of normal treatment in this country.

[OnTrack]

As I've said before, I personally witnessed a young man with an obviously dislocated shoulder, moaning in pain in a wheelchair for 8 hrs...I witnessed a diagnosed stroke patient, with spouse that worked there, leave for another hospital after sitting for 6 hrs unattended, and elderly in wheelchairs left unattended for hrs..In no way do I see this as any form of normal treatment in this country.

If those are cases of patients who "can wait," there must be a plethora of extremely serious patients.

I get the feeling though........that really isn't the case.

.

[graciegirl]

If those are cases of patients who "can wait," there must be a plethora of extremely serious patients.

I get the feeling though........that really isn't the case.

.

I think the point that was trying to be made is that in triage the people who are most seriously involved are taken first. There isn't any place in the country with the percentage of older population that we find here and as a result of that you will find people more vulnerable and a bit more fragile and that in itself makes the whole issue more complicated.

Our VA rep said that another wing was planned to add to the hospital and it can't be soon enough. I am guessing that will begin when the junior school is completed and that looks near completion now. Again, I am assuming they use the same crews to construct large buildings such as the junior school, and the Moffitt center. Specific kinds of construction crews work on homes, some for villas, some for designers and some for premiers so it would make sense that it might be the same for large construction projects.

I am hoping that they will start soon on the addition to the hospital and praying that it will make some things better there.

[OnTrack]

I think the point that was trying to be made is that in triage the people who are most seriously involved are taken first. There isn't any place in the country with the percentage of older population that we find here and as a result of that you will find people more vulnerable and a bit more fragile and that in itself makes the whole issue more complicated.

I am fully aware of the point that was trying to be made.

I am also aware that for people with the conditions noted in that post, to wait 6-8 hours, implies that there were a lot more serious patients ahead of them.

Or......it's a case of under-staffing/poor management/ambivalent workers/etc.



.

[TOTV Team]

Please keep comments directed at the topic. Thanks in advance.

[Mikeod]

We recently had my mom transported to the ER one night. As we sat in the ER, ambulance after ambulance arrived. All those patients were delivered straight into the ER for evaluation. Many people were on gurneys in the hallways, with EMTs attending. We saw the same EMTs come in with a patient, leave, only to return a bit later with another patient. This was repeated all night. We were in the ER with my mom for 12 hours. I left and went home to get her things as she was to be admitted. When I returned about an hour later, she was still in the ER because there were no beds available on the floors.

To me the problem is capacity. With no place to admit patients from the ER, they must stay where they are. With no room for non-emergent patients in the ER, those people must wait in the waiting room. Unfortunately, pain is not as high on the triage scale as many would like. Also unfortunately, you cannot treat patients in the waiting room; the staff's attention is directed toward those in the treatment rooms. And you cannot hire more staff if you don't have space for them to work.

Plans are in the works to expand the capacity of the hospital, but it takes time. Perhaps the best interim solution is for the operators of the hospital to expand the hours of their urgent care facilties to siphon non-emergent patients away from the ER.

[CFrance]

We recently had my mom transported to the ER one night. As we sat in the ER, ambulance after ambulance arrived. All those patients were delivered straight into the ER for evaluation. Many people were on gurneys in the hallways, with EMTs attending. We saw the same EMTs come in with a patient, leave, only to return a bit later with another patient. This was repeated all night. We were in the ER with my mom for 12 hours. I left and went home to get her things as she was to be admitted. When I returned about an hour later, she was still in the ER because there were no beds available on the floors.

To me the problem is capacity. With no place to admit patients from the ER, they must stay where they are. With no room for non-emergent patients in the ER, those people must wait in the waiting room. Unfortunately, pain is not as high on the triage scale as many would like. Also unfortunately, you cannot treat patients in the waiting room; the staff's attention is directed toward those in the treatment rooms. And you cannot hire more staff if you don't have space for them to work.

Plans are in the works to expand the capacity of the hospital, but it takes time. Perhaps the best interim solution is for the operators of the hospital to expand the hours of their urgent care facilties to siphon non-emergent patients away from the ER.

I plan to look up all the urgent care facilities in the area and put their addresses, hours and telephone #s on the side of our fridge. If something happens, we'll know where we can go, or have to go.

[shcisamax]

We had to go to urgent care yesterday and Sumter was closed at 5 so I check the hours of Paramount and they were open. Ran to them and they had a closed sign in the door. Grrr. Went to Premier. He was told to go to the hospital. Ran over to The famous Village Hospital. Only 9 patients. Great! It was 3 1/2 hours to get to a bed. And we were out in another 3. Grrr.

[buggyone]

We had to go to urgent care yesterday and Sumter was closed at 5 so I check the hours of Paramount and they were open. Ran to them and they had a closed sign in the door. Grrr. Went to Premier. He was told to go to the hospital. Ran over to The famous Village Hospital. Only 9 patients. Great! It was 3 1/2 hours to get to a bed. And we were out in another 3. Grrr.

...and we were out in another 3? Does this mean you were out of the hospital in 3 more hours or out of the ER in 3 more hours after being told it would be 3 1/2 hours to get a bed?

The problem could not have been too serious if you were discharged from the hospital in only 3 hours after being checked into a bed. Why the Grr? At least your husband got seen, evaluated, and treated and was able to go home in a very short time.

[shcisamax]

bp of 200 over 100 when you don't have a blood pressure problem is a reason to get immediate care. Clearly this wasn't coronary arrest but we did need care which is why we were in search of urgent care which failed in 2 out of 3 facilities and then on to the hospital because it was too late to run testing at the urgent care which was closed for testing at 6 pm. Frankly, my comment is in response to the issue of not enough open urgent care facilities etc. I am really tired today after getting home at 2:30 and don't feel like defending my grrr which relates to the general lack of sensible solutions to urgent care and an overwhelmed system. And BTW: Two people left while we were there who had been waiting for 5 and 6 hours.

[Parker]

Might part of the problem be staffing issues? Hospitals must ramp up staffing for high season, then ramp down when the snowbirds leave. Months like April, when there is a transition, might run into this problem head on.

[ilovetv]

It seems that if privately run urgent care centers are not willing to stay open until 10pm or midnight, TVRHospital ought to have its urgent care longer and open another one in the southern half of TV. With previous plans for a full hospital in Brownwood, for which C.O.N.was approved (I heard) and then plans were tabled, it seems so obvious that the hospital needs to build at least an urgent care or maybe a 24-hour freestanding full E.R. as other cities have around the country.

Even with a good supply of urgent cares open, a lot of seniors are so extremely sick and complicated that urgent care is not even the right place to be because of limitations on complexity of care they can handle. That is probably a big part of the clogged traffic in and out of TVRH E.R.

[Russ_Boston]

Sorry Russ, have to disagree with you...The majority of the negative posts did complain about waiting times, but in addition some of us pointed out what we had seen there in regards to lack of care and suffering to the extreme. As I've said before, I personally witnessed a young man with an obviously dislocated shoulder, moaning in pain in a wheelchair for 8 hrs...I witnessed a diagnosed stroke patient, with spouse that worked there, leave for another hospital after sitting for 6 hrs unattended, and elderly in wheelchairs left unattended for hrs..In no way do I see this as any form of normal treatment in this country.

Your mentioning care in the ER. No, none, nada, zero stroke patients wait in the ER unattended. NONE. Repeat NONE. You may have been told by the patient that he/she was a positive stroke patient but I guarantee you that IF they were a positive blockage or bleed stroke patient they were cared for and monitored in the ER. If they had a blockage they would have been given some sort of thrombolitic (Tpa, Heparin drip, Fragmin etc.). That is the standard of care and we follow it very seriously for stroke. You can see from the JHACHO report that we do very well in stroke care.

You can say what you want on this forum and YOU may even believe it was real but I really don't think that happened. Most people on this forum don't have the inside knowledge to argue against you, but I do. I know exactly what the stroke protocol is. I'm certified in stroke care and procedures at TVRH. And IF it did happen then it is a real one-off and should be reported to TVRH management with full names, dates etc so the event can be recorded and investigated.

[Russ_Boston]

It seems that if privately run urgent care centers are not willing to stay open until 10pm or midnight, TVRHospital ought to have its urgent care longer and open another one in the southern half of TV.

Are you going to pay for it? TVRH is not run by The Villages management. They are not going to open something that doesn't make money. It's simple math. Why should TRVH do it if other urgent cares know it's not profitable? TVRH should lose money? - just cuz?

[rp001]

Your mentioning care in the ER. No, none, nada, zero stroke patients wait in the ER unattended. NONE. Repeat NONE. You may have been told by the patient that he/she was a positive stroke patient but I guarantee you that IF they were a positive blockage or bleed stroke patient they were cared for and monitored in the ER. If they had a blockage they would have been given some sort of thrombolitic (Tpa, Heparin drip, Fragmin etc.). That is the standard of care and we follow it very seriously for stroke. You can see from the JHACHO report that we do very well in stroke care.

You can say what you want on this forum and YOU may even believe it was real but I really don't think that happened. Most people on this forum don't have the inside knowledge to argue against you, but I do. I know exactly what the stroke protocol is. I'm certified in stroke care and procedures at TVRH. And IF it did happen then it is a real one-off and should be reported to TVRH management with full names, dates etc so the event can be recorded and investigated.

No I'm not medically qualified to diagnose a situation such as what I saw..The gentleman I was sitting with had a problem, went to his doctor, was sent to the er and he told me his doctor told him he had a stroke and needed admittance...He sat for hours...Maybe he was lying...Who knows but the other cases I MENTIONED DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICALLY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS TO DETERMINE HIS ARM WAS HANGING ASKEW AND IN TEARS AND MOANING.....FOR HOURS...PERHAPS DEFENSIVE POSTURING ISN'T THE RIGHT TACK, RATHER SEEKING A SOLUTION FOR THE GOOD OF ALL.

[Carla B]

For those who suggest going to the ER at Leesburg Hospital, I'll relate my experience last month on a Friday evening. I wanted to go to an urgent care center but they were all closed and I knew that the ER at TVRH would be overwhelmed.

I was taken in for testing very promptly and then sent back to the waiting room which was filled to capacity. After almost three hours waiting there, during which time not ONE patient was called back, I decided to go home.

My point is: if just one of the many urgent care centers had been open a little later, in my opinion this trip and drain on the ER resources would have been unnecessary. In any case, it looks like Leesburg ER is just as overwhelmed as TVRH.

On the other hand, I was admitted to TVRH last year twice through the ER. The care by the nursing staff when I got to a room was just great.

[curly top]

The horror stories of the inefficiencies of TV Hospital is repeated several times throughout the day. It is very scary that nothing is done about it. I wrote to them after my husband waited 6 hours, during which time we saw people bleeding not being attended to, a gentleman throwing up and noone cleaning it until I complained, etc.,
The "friendliest hometown" needs to take action about improving the situation at the hospital.

[gemorc]

Shands in both Gainesville and Jacksonville have been given special legislative protection against having to pay malpractice awards over 200,000. So if they take out the wrong kidney or forget to give you oxygen while you are in surgery your ability to collect is severely limited whereas I believe no other hospital in Florida except Jackson Memorial in Miami has a similar limitation. The hospital itself is a teaching hospital. It is fairly well ranked and has some fields ranked in the top 50's nationally. Shands at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL Rankings - US News Best Hospitals (http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/area/fl/shands-at-the-university-of-florida-6390283/rankings)

Please read this month's Consumers Reports' section on teaching hospitals safety performance. On page 11, Shands Jacksonville recieved a score of 27 out of 100. The average score, for all hospitals, was 49. Safety of hospitals has little to do with ERs, but wouldn't you hope to achieve at least average?

[OnTrack]

I plan to look up all the urgent care facilities in the area and put their addresses, hours and telephone #s on the side of our fridge. If something happens, we'll know where we can go, or have to go.

Good idea. :coolsmiley:

Worst case, with them being on the fridge it will be a reminder to make a snack......to bring for the wait. :D


.

[Russ_Boston]

No I'm not medically qualified to diagnosE a situation such as what I saw..The geltleman I was sitting with had a problem, went ot his doctor, was sent to the er and he told me his doctor told him he had a stroke and needed admittance...He sat for hours...Maybe he was lying...Who knows but the other cases I MENTIONED DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICALLY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS TO DETERMINE HIS ARM WAS HANGING ASKEW AND IN TEARS AND MOANING.....FOR HOURS...PERHAPS DEFENSIVE POSTURING ISN'T THE RIGHT TACK, RATHER SEEKING A SOLUTION FOR THE GOOD OF ALL.

I'm not defensive posturing at all. If these did happen then we have real issues. But I think:

1. not a real stroke that required any treatment, just evaluation. (and had a CT done within the 1st hour just to be sure that there was no blockage- I'm absolutely positive of that - I've yet to see a suspected stroke that did not have an hour one CT). He was waiting for a bed to open up on the second floor where we continue to monitor and test for any deterioration in condition. I do this EVERY day when I'm working on 2nd floor.
2. Just a dis-located shoulder - yes it hurts but nowhere near life threatening.
3. Hence more important injuries come first - just saying.


Triage is the name of the game in ER when we have 25 beds and 75 patients. Do the math. Your tone of inference is that both these cases should have been seen earlier and otherwise it is deplorable health care. Not the case IMHO. You say "seeking a solution". Solution to what exactly? Doing triage as it should be done?

Bottom line: If you go to TVRH ER (and many other local hospitals) with a non life threatening condition and expect to get out soon you're dreaming.

[BobnBev]

Russ, you make the most sense of anybody concerning the ER. Don't let the naysayers get you down. The majority of us appreciate what you do. Thanks.

:bigbow::bigbow::bigbow:

[mickey100]

I'm not defensive posturing at all. If these did happen then we have real issues. But I think:

1. not a real stroke that required any treatment, just evaluation. (and had a CT done within the 1st hour just to be sure that there was no blockage- I'm absolutely positive of that - I've yet to see a suspected stroke that did not have an hour one CT). He was waiting for a bed to open up on the second floor where we continue to monitor and test for any deterioration in condition. I do this EVERY day when I'm working on 2nd floor.
2. Just a dis-located shoulder - yes it hurts but nowhere near life threatening.
3. Hence more important injuries come first - just saying.


Triage is the name of the game in ER when we have 25 beds and 75 patients. Do the math. Your tone of inference is that both these cases should have been seen earlier and otherwise it is deplorable health care. Not the case IMHO. You say "seeking a solution". Solution to what exactly? Doing triage as it should be done?

Bottom line: If you go to TVRH ER (and many other local hospitals) with a non life threatening condition and expect to get out soon you're dreaming.

Agreed. Just common sense. The place isn't large enough or have enough staff to make waits any quicker, unless there are less patients, which isn't going to happen.

[JourneyOfLife]

Real numbers always help.


Here is the Medicare web site Hospital compare page. You can see all kinds of data being compared including Emergency Department wait times. You can compare hospitals against each other. Do some comparisons between TVRH and some hospitals you used "Back Home" to compare. Note: I could not compare hospitals in 2 different states on one page. So I opened two browser pages and switched back and forth between pages to compare.

Medicare Hospital Compare Quality of Care (http://www.medicare.gov/HospitalCompare/)

Some general information on this topic at the CDC website.

FASTSTATS - Emergency Department Visits (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/ervisits.htm)


National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 20 1 0 Emergency Department Summary

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ahcd/nhamcs_emergency/2010_ed_web_tables.pdf




Gotta complaint with your hospital, let 'em know.

MEDICAL COMPLAINTS (http://poa4us.org/medcomplaints.html)

[ilovetv]

The links provided by JourneyOfLife above are instructive.

In light of the coming changes brought by Affordable Care Act, to shift Medicare and other tax revenues to expand Medicaid to those who are currently uninsured so they (in theory) won't rely on the Emergency Dept. (most expensive setting) for non-emergency complaints, these two illustrations are telling of the behavior involved in gaining "free" or largely-subsidized first-dollar coverage:

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=12709&stc=1&d=1366383794

And about the theory that providing publicly funded insurance (medicaid) to the uninsured will decrease ER usage by these recipients, because they'll now (in theory) have a primary-care doctor (never mind the existing shortage of those):

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=12708&stc=1&d=1366383781

"Persons with Medicaid coverage were more likely to report at least one ED visit and multiple ED visits in a 12-month period than those with private coverage or the uninsured. This finding may reflect higher rates of disability and chronic conditions among persons with public insurance, including Medicaid, relative to the uninsured. However, uninsured persons under age 65 were more likely to have multiple ED visits in a 12-month period than those with private insurance. The data also show that persons without a usual source of medical care are not more likely to have an ED visit than those with a usual source of care, and that uninsured persons are not more likely than others to access the ED for nonurgent visits. Future work should focus on untangling the complex interactions among the sociodemographic, health status, and health care access factors that appear to be associated with visits to the ED.

From CDC - NCHS:
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db38.pdf

[Mack184]

I'm not defensive posturing at all. If these did happen then we have real issues. But I think:

1. not a real stroke that required any treatment, just evaluation. (and had a CT done within the 1st hour just to be sure that there was no blockage- I'm absolutely positive of that - I've yet to see a suspected stroke that did not have an hour one CT). He was waiting for a bed to open up on the second floor where we continue to monitor and test for any deterioration in condition. I do this EVERY day when I'm working on 2nd floor.
2. Just a dis-located shoulder - yes it hurts but nowhere near life threatening.
3. Hence more important injuries come first - just saying.


Triage is the name of the game in ER when we have 25 beds and 75 patients. Do the math. Your tone of inference is that both these cases should have been seen earlier and otherwise it is deplorable health care. Not the case IMHO. You say "seeking a solution". Solution to what exactly? Doing triage as it should be done?

Bottom line: If you go to TVRH ER (and many other local hospitals) with a non life threatening condition and expect to get out soon you're dreaming.
As Packard used to say.."Ask the man who owns one.." In this case..ask and or at least have the intelligence to LISTEN to the man who works there. The constant carping about TVRH and the "something MUST be done" whines come from people who don't have the foggiest notion how an ER works and what happens behind the doors. I'm sorry you have have to wait and I'm sorry you're going to miss your sacred tee-time or your table at Katie Belle's because you had to wait while people who REALLY need instant-stat treatment go before you.

Something MUST be done. I've told you before what MUST be done..It requires a VAST infusion of cash to build new beds and add a significant amount of staff. It's not going to happen without it. So go ahead and whine all you want, and stamp your feet and holler that "Something MUST be done" and continue to live in your ignorance of how hospitals and ERs work.

People like Russ bust their butts to take care of you. And..unless lots and lots and LOTS of money start getting donated to TVRH, you are NOT going to see any change because TVRH gets fully 88% of it's revenue stream from Medicare and their reimbursements to ALL hospitals are falling at unprecedented rates which leaves TVRH with a VERY thin operating margin.

As Russ & I have both said in the past TVRH has a limited amount of bed space to fill an ever-growing population. It's only going to get worse and not better.

[Challenger]

As Packard used to say.."Ask the man who owns one.." In this case..ask and or at least have the intelligence to LISTEN to the man who works there. The constant carping about TVRH and the "something MUST be done" whines come from people who don't have the foggiest notion how an ER works and what happens behind the doors. I'm sorry you have have to wait and I'm sorry you're going to miss your sacred tee-time or your table at Katie Belle's because you had to wait while people who REALLY need instant-stat treatment go before you.

Something MUST be done. I've told you before what MUST be done..It requires a VAST infusion of cash to build new beds and add a significant amount of staff. It's not going to happen without it. So go ahead and whine all you want, and stamp your feet and holler that "Something MUST be done" and continue to live in your ignorance of how hospitals and ERs work.

People like Russ bust their butts to take care of you. And..unless lots and lots and LOTS of money start getting donated to TVRH, you are NOT going to see any change because TVRH gets fully 88% of it's revenue stream from Medicare and their reimbursements to ALL hospitals are falling at unprecedented rates which leaves TVRH with a VERY thin operating margin.

As Russ & I have both said in the past TVRH has a limited amount of bed space to fill an ever-growing population. It's only going to get worse and not better.

My sentiments exactly:coolsmiley:

[TomOB]

I crashed my car yesterday. My wife has a severe chest pains and we spent many hours in The Village Regional Hospital waiting for her to be seen. Actually 8 hours from when she was brought in by ambulance until she got a room in the ER. Would have been longer until I told them that if they are too busy they should go on bypass and I wanted and inter hospital transport...then they got here a CAT scan and a Dr. The hospital was good for 20k people, but now that we are at over 100K it is time to build another hospital or two or put TVRH on bypass. The halls were lined with people and when the shift changed the new triage nurse finally called in more Dr.s. We need better care than the Marcus Welby experience that is being advertised.

[jetro]

Although the people you described were in dire need of medical attention, the fact is there are others who are being treated first because one, their heart has stopped beating; two, the CANNOT breathe; 3, they are bleeding out. These are priorities in the ER. The men and women who work there are overworked and they are understaffed. Even though we are an aging community, this problem is not limited to The Villages.

[Mack184]

Although the people you described were in dire need of medical attention, the fact is there are others who are being treated first because one, their heart has stopped beating; two, the CANNOT breathe; 3, they are bleeding out. These are priorities in the ER. The men and women who work there are overworked and they are understaffed. Even though we are an aging community, this problem is not limited to The Villages.
Absolutely 100% correct. The problem is most of the people who post on this subject don't want to hear the truth.

However..the problem within TV is more acute than in other places because the revenue stream that TVRH has to rely on is Medicare and their reimbursements are falling quickly, that leaves TVRH with a very thin operating line.

The average hospital gets about 36-38% of it's revenue from Medicare. At TVRH it's 88%..the highest of ANY hospital in the USA.

[perrjojo]

Although the people you described were in dire need of medical attention, the fact is there are others who are being treated first because one, their heart has stopped beating; two, the CANNOT breathe; 3, they are bleeding out. These are priorities in the ER. The men and women who work there are overworked and they are understaffed. Even though we are an aging community, this problem is not limited to The Villages.

I don't think anyone doubts that the most urgent cases are first to be treated and that is as it should be. I think we are just wanting to have our medical sitituation improve in The Villages.

[shcisamax]

Absolutely 100% correct. The problem is most of the people who post on this subject don't want to hear the truth.

However..the problem within TV is more acute than in other places because the revenue stream that TVRH has to rely on is Medicare and their reimbursements are falling quickly, that leaves TVRH with a very thin operating line.

The average hospital gets about 36-38% of it's revenue from Medicare. At TVRH it's 88%..the highest of ANY hospital in the USA.

i don't know if anyone read the Newsweek magazine that was pretty much entirely about the costs of healthcare and more to the point about hospital costs. What was an eye opener was that even at medicare reimbursement, hospitals are profitable.

[shrink]

I have to respond to this post. I have been a volunteer at the admitting desk of TV ED. I too have seen what you saw, and it is heartbreaking. I know the other part of this story that many don't realize. What happens is that the beds in the back, where the sick people are brought to see the doctors, get full. Ambulances are pulling in (you don't see that) with critical patients aboard. I've seen it where every single bed and every available hallway space has a patient in it. At any given time, as many as half of those people have been "stuck" in emergency department beds for hours and hours waiting to be admitted to hospital beds upstairs, and there are none available! They cannot be discharged from the ED bed until a hospital bed opens up, thus, there is no place to which to bring those sick people in the waiting room. That's why the planned bed expansion in the hospital is so vital in every respect. You may not realize it, but the folks working in the emergency department feel very compassionately about those poor sick people waiting to be seen. It's an extremely frustrating situation which should be largely alleviated when the expansion is completed.

[Mikeod]

I have to respond to this post. I have been a volunteer at the admitting desk of TV ED. I too have seen what you saw, and it is heartbreaking. I know the other part of this story that many don't realize. What happens is that the beds in the back, where the sick people are brought to see the doctors, get full. Ambulances are pulling in (you don't see that) with critical patients aboard. I've seen it where every single bed and every available hallway space has a patient in it. At any given time, as many as half of those people have been "stuck" in emergency department beds for hours and hours waiting to be admitted to hospital beds upstairs, and there are none available! They cannot be discharged from the ED bed until a hospital bed opens up, thus, there is no place to which to bring those sick people in the waiting room. That's why the planned bed expansion in the hospital is so vital in every respect. You may not realize it, but the folks working in the emergency department feel very compassionately about those poor sick people waiting to be seen. It's an extremely frustrating situation which should be largely alleviated when the expansion is completed.
I know you're correct that the ED personnel don't feel any better about the situation than we do. And I hope the expansion brings some relief to the situation. A part of me, though, is concerned that by the time the approvals from the state and feds are completed, plans are developed, bids are sought and approved, and construction is completed, we and the surrounding communities will again have grown so that we have the same problem with more people than the facility can handle. I really hope I'm wrong on this one.

[KyWoman]

I recently discovered another reason for the overcrowded ER. My father is having symptoms that may indicate he has a partial bowel obstruction, so we tried to get an appointment with a gastroenterologist. I was told to take him to the ER.....not because his condition was an emergency, but because they were unable to see him for at least a month and his symptoms indicated that he needed to be seen before then. Patients are not the only ones abusing the system.

We are seeking treatment outside of The Villages.

[gpirate]

I have heard horror stories about our hospital emergency room but I got to experience it first hand last night. My husband has been having problems with asthma and saw our doctor on Tuesday. He was given meds and told to come back if he got worse. Last night he SUDDENLY got worse. We called the doctor but got no response. The Urgent Care office was closed sooooooo we went to the ER. He was promptly called back and had his vitals checked and then told to go back and wait in the lobby. After a while patients started getting restless and comparing stories. One woman had come in and they inserted an IV and told her she would be getting interveinous antibiotics. That was 10 hours earlier. One man was bleeding and needed sutures and had been waiting 5 hours. There were two very elderly people in wheelchairs who were on oxygen and were so weak that they could not hold their heads up. One of them had been there so long his oxygen tank had run out so they gave him another tank. One man was very frail and in a wheelchair and had been there alone for a very long time and needed to go to the restroom so the bleeding man assisted him to the toilet. One man covered in blankets and in a wheelchair looked very ill but his family finally gave up since he could no longer sit up and left. I don't know where they went. Several more gave up and left and several more came in. The last person coming in was told it might be a 24 hour wait. My husband decided he was not going to die unless he stayed there, so we too left. He suffered through the night and he saw our doctor this morning. I know Emergency rooms are busy and crowed but this was shameful. I might add that while my husband and I were concerned for his well being, my heart was breaking for some very sick and very elderly people who just really shouldn't be left sitting in a waiting room for hours on end. I hope they are doing well today.

Very sad to hear about this. We have been planning our move to TV but these stories and you are not the first have slowed our plans in moving. As we get older we need to be able to get into a doctor for care. I live in Columbus, Ga and we may have to wait if not serious but never over an hour. I cannot imagine the people in TV cannot voice their complaints as a unit and get results. Have any of you tried to band together and correct the problem?

[gpirate]

I have to respond to this post. I have been a volunteer at the admitting desk of TV ED. I too have seen what you saw, and it is heartbreaking. I know the other part of this story that many don't realize. What happens is that the beds in the back, where the sick people are brought to see the doctors, get full. Ambulances are pulling in (you don't see that) with critical patients aboard. I've seen it where every single bed and every available hallway space has a patient in it. At any given time, as many as half of those people have been "stuck" in emergency department beds for hours and hours waiting to be admitted to hospital beds upstairs, and there are none available! They cannot be discharged from the ED bed until a hospital bed opens up, thus, there is no place to which to bring those sick people in the waiting room. That's why the planned bed expansion in the hospital is so vital in every respect. You may not realize it, but the folks working in the emergency department feel very compassionately about those poor sick people waiting to be seen. It's an extremely frustrating situation which should be largely alleviated when the expansion is completed.

Then why are we not building more facilities to accomodate the over flow? They keep building homes but forget about the rest? Lets get real here folks if they continue to add homes and do nothing about ER it will only get worse IMO. What am I missing?

[Deerfly]

Spent Sunday afternoon there. Questioned by an RN and then escorted to a room and hooked up to all the bells and whistles. They took blood. (Actually quite a bit) and it was sent for analysis. I laid there for three hours while it was tested. Dr. returned, gave me some advise, changed one of my prescriptions and I was released.
Last time I was in the Villages ER was 9 years ago with about 40 others, most of whom looked like they had bad colds. Didn't know what was wrong with me.
Dr. came in and spent about 30 seconds looking around and then came directly to me, first. Talked a little. He sent me for an X-ray. One lung 100% blocked, the other 80%. Had a staff infection I received from a Dr.'s office in Ocala and spent 15 days in the hospital, 5 of it in IC.
I have absolutely nothing but good words for The Villages ER. Maybe next time it won't be so hot but so far it was VERY good.

[mulligan]

Then why are we not building more facilities to accomodate the over flow? They keep building homes but forget about the rest? Lets get real here folks if they continue to add homes and do nothing about ER it will only get worse IMO. What am I missing?

Who is this "they" that should build hospitals ?

[Talk Host]

Hello everybody. Remember me? Well, I don't live in the Villages any longer, but I wanted to jump in and relate my final experience at the Villages ER. The memory will live with me for a long time.
As we were preparing to move, I was loading some stuff on a utility trailer and I slipped on wet metal and fell from the trailer to the ground with my right hand bent completely in to my wrist under my chest. I was ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that it was broken. The pain was excruciating.

Off we went to the Villages ER, where we waited several painful hours before I made a minor scene at the admissions desk. Funny thing, I was next.

Once inside, they took an X ray of my wrist and to my great relief it wasn't broken. The doc asked me the pain level on a scale of 0 to 10. I told him it was as close to a 9 as you can get.

He said, we'll take care of that pain right away, I'll be right back. 1/2 hour later, I got off the bed and went looking for the doctor. I found him standing at the nurses station, laughing at some jokes that had just been told. He was in a real relaxed state with elbows on the counter and his one foot crossed behind the other.

I said, "Hey Doctor, remember me, 9+ pain waiting for you to help me?" He said, "Oh, the nurse was just coming in with some medication." I said,"Ya right, enjoy your jokes."

about 10 minutes later she came with a pill in a cup and 11 minutes later, I was dressed and head for home.

That's my story. Hard for me to forget even when their defenders here post reasonable arguments about why it is the way it is.

I am now sitting on the board of directors of a large hospital/health care group. As a director, I will do my best to use this example as what not to allow in any of our emergency rooms.

JLK

[OnTrack]

Hello everybody. Remember me? Well, I don't live in the Villages any longer, but I wanted to jump in and relate my final experience at the Villages ER. The memory will live with me for a long time.
As we were preparing to move, I was loading some stuff on a utility trailer and I slipped on wet metal and fell from the trailer to the ground with my right hand bent completely in to my wrist under my chest. I was ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that it was broken. The pain was excruciating.

Off we went to the Villages ER, where we waited several painful hours before I made a minor scene at the admissions desk. Funny thing, I was next.

Once inside, they took an X ray of my wrist and to my great relief it wasn't broken. The doc asked me the pain level on a scale of 0 to 10. I told him it was as close to a 9 as you can get.

He said, we'll take care of that pain right away, I'll be right back. 1/2 hour later, I got off the bed and went looking for the doctor. I found him standing at the nurses station, laughing at some jokes that had just been told. He was in a real relaxed state with elbows on the counter and his one foot crossed behind the other.

I said, "Hey Doctor, remember me, 9+ pain waiting for you to help me?" He said, "Oh, the nurse was just coming in with some medication." I said,"Ya right, enjoy your jokes."

about 10 minutes later she came with a pill in a cup and 11 minutes later, I was dressed and head for home.

That's my story. Hard for me to forget even when their defenders here post reasonable arguments about why it is the way it is.

I am now sitting on the board of directors of a large hospital/health care group. As a director, I will do my best to use this example as what not to allow in any of our emergency rooms.

JLK
I applaud your honesty. :BigApplause:

The folks at your new position are lucky to have you. :thumbup:


.


.

[Nancydrew10]

We had to go in the middle of the night last June and got right in. Treated right away. No problem at all.

[manaboutown]

We had to go in the middle of the night last June and got right in. Treated right away. No problem at all.

June. Try February.

[Hancle704]

Who is this "they" that should build hospitals ?

I think the "they" is the Central Florida Health Alliance which operates LRMC and TVRH. Granted hospital construction takes a great deal of planning and time and must pass all kinds of state agency approvals. That being said, I am of the opinion that long range planning has been woefully inadequate in this area. The developer learned a long time ago to build infrastructure, rec centers, and golf courses before not after, the new residents arrived. This has not been the case with hospitals and hospital beds since the grand opening of the 60 bed Villages Hospital and an all too small ED.

[mulligan]

With all the uncertainty in the area of medicare/medical insurance, I would imagine the decision to build more hospital beds causes many sleepless nights. IMHO, the market will determine the timing and scope of any such development.

[Garden guru]

What a horrible experience! I'm a retired registered nurse who just moved to The Villages from a Columbus, Ohio, suburb in March. After having asked close to a dozen villagers whom I've met to recommend a primary care doctor and having had all of them just shake their heads, I've decided to go "off the reservation" for my medical care. (One man I asked told me to let him know if I find a good doctor because he hates his!) In Ohio I travelled 45 min. into Columbus on a regular basis, so I figure I can do the same here, when my health is at stake. My husband and I are already wondering if we made a huge mistake by coming here. This post is yet another indication that maybe we did.

[cabo35]

Hello everybody. Remember me? Well, I don't live in the Villages any longer, but I wanted to jump in and relate my final experience at the Villages ER. The memory will live with me for a long time.
As we were preparing to move, I was loading some stuff on a utility trailer and I slipped on wet metal and fell from the trailer to the ground with my right hand bent completely in to my wrist under my chest. I was ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that it was broken. The pain was excruciating.

Off we went to the Villages ER, where we waited several painful hours before I made a minor scene at the admissions desk. Funny thing, I was next.

Once inside, they took an X ray of my wrist and to my great relief it wasn't broken. The doc asked me the pain level on a scale of 0 to 10. I told him it was as close to a 9 as you can get.

He said, we'll take care of that pain right away, I'll be right back. 1/2 hour later, I got off the bed and went looking for the doctor. I found him standing at the nurses station, laughing at some jokes that had just been told. He was in a real relaxed state with elbows on the counter and his one foot crossed behind the other.

I said, "Hey Doctor, remember me, 9+ pain waiting for you to help me?" He said, "Oh, the nurse was just coming in with some medication." I said,"Ya right, enjoy your jokes."

about 10 minutes later she came with a pill in a cup and 11 minutes later, I was dressed and head for home.

That's my story. Hard for me to forget even when their defenders here post reasonable arguments about why it is the way it is.

I am now sitting on the board of directors of a large hospital/health care group. As a director, I will do my best to use this example as what not to allow in any of our emergency rooms.

JLK

Have you or would you consider helping your old friends and neighbors by firing off a registered (to get their attention) letter detailing your bad ER experience, addressed to the hospital administrators and directors?

[rubicon]

Think about the priority of The villages of Lake-sumter, Inc, the Central florida Health alliance, et al all owner and controlled by the Developer.

More homes, more commercial property, more additions to the villages chartered School. consider the population mostly senior citizens relocating

I have lived her since 2006 and before i arrived when I arrived and today this same issue has ben raised a zillion times.. what does that tell you.

I have greater faith in Munroe Health Care system. all my docs are associated with this system . I have not found a primry care doc. Iuse my cardiologist as my primary care guy because i have total faith in him. Urgent Care in the area suffice for quick responses and some are open 24/7
there are probaly a number of good physician and medical people in te Central Health Alliance but if tey have little support for better infrastructure ?????????????????????

[OnTrack]

I'm sure by now, the developer has heard the horror stories of medical care here.

While I am a strong believer in capitalism, I also have to wonder about those who think...they will never have enough money.

Building a topnotch medical facility and then figuring out how to entice top doctors, even if it doesn't turn a profit....would go a long way in changing the perception that he doesn't really care about the medical needs of the citizens here.

Does anyone really believe that he or his family/close associates, uses these facilities?

Or that they would stand for being treated, like so many others here have been treated?

I think not.

.

[Warren Kiefer]

Who is this "they" that should build hospitals ?

It is pretty clear, THE DEVELOPER !!! Mr. Schwartz had the vision of a hospital built within the Villages and I am certain this is why you see one here today. Why does any corporation build hospitals, to make money----- what else ????

[shrink]

I recently discovered another reason for the overcrowded ER. My father is having symptoms that may indicate he has a partial bowel obstruction, so we tried to get an appointment with a gastroenterologist. I was told to take him to the ER.....not because his condition was an emergency, but because they were unable to see him for at least a month and his symptoms indicated that he needed to be seen before then. Patients are not the only ones abusing the system.

We are seeking treatment outside of The Villages.

I think it may be important to seek specialists who are part of a sizable practice. Last weekend, I was diagnosed with diverticulitis at an urgent care, and was told to follow up with my gastroenterologist (Lily Tran). Although she is booked solid and was unable to see me for some time, the practice was able to schedule me within two days with another associate, who was quite good. I hope this helps.

[graciegirl]

According to our Village rep, who told us some time ago that plans had been changed due to how applications for new hospitals have been recently altered, that now, instead of building a new satallite hospital in Brownwood, the plans were to add on to the exisiting Villages Hospital.

The rest is just guessing on my part. Since I know there are crews that are specific to build a certain kind of home, designers have their crews and ranches have their crews and premiers have their crews. I would think that building large buildings would have their own crews too.

It appears that The Villages charter school middle school is very near being completely finished.

I wouldn't be surprised if that crew will soon start adding on to the hospital.

Another thing that has been pointed out by people who work there and I trust, (Russ Boston) and those who have been involved in hospital administration that sound pretty credible is the snowbird population issue that during the high season swells the population considerably and while servers and restaurant workers can be called in part time, it isn't so easy to find skilled medical workers to come in and work for just three months of the year. Remember there are long lines at the restaurants during high season too, not the same but you get the point I am trying to make.

It is one of those things that money may not be the solving factor.

[red tail]

locker room gossip from the employees is not credible info. I would rather hear it from those that really know.

[Josie70]

These stories have been talked about for years. Does anybody but me wonder why the powers that be allow it (?) to continue?

There are other options outside TV......but some say they are too far to go.
How far could one go in the same 3-5 hour time waiting in TV ER?

Until or unless something changes TV hospital is not on my list of choices.

btk

I agree with you the Village Hospital is the worse it took 3 visits to the hospital with my mother to find out that she had liver and bone cancer..Every time I took her they told me a different story of what was wrong with her..I give this one nurse a lot of credit she was the one who said to me did your mother ever have cancer and I said yes 15 years ago when this nurse turned my mother over to the other side of the bed she felt a lump and that's when they went futher on taking test on my mother to find out that she was dying my mother was only in the hospital 3 days and then sent to Hospie where they took the best care of her she passed about 2 days later my mother was 93 years old ....she passed away Oct 15 of 2012...

[Quixote]

What a horrible experience! I'm a retired registered nurse who just moved to The Villages from a Columbus, Ohio, suburb in March. After having asked close to a dozen villagers whom I've met to recommend a primary care doctor and having had all of them just shake their heads, I've decided to go "off the reservation" for my medical care. (One man I asked told me to let him know if I find a good doctor because he hates his!) In Ohio I travelled 45 min. into Columbus on a regular basis, so I figure I can do the same here, when my health is at stake. My husband and I are already wondering if we made a huge mistake by coming here. This post is yet another indication that maybe we did.

Please see the threads "Dr. Martinez-Cruz has opened his own practice" and also "Why should I see Dr. Martinez Cruz" in the Medical and Health Discussion Forum. He is exceptional AND he is right here "on the reservation."

[Quixote]

I have read the horror stories in this forum about the TV Emergency Room but my two experiences were positive. I would encourage others that have had a positive experience to comment because I believe a lot of people are being frightened unnecessarily....

I don’t doubt other poster’s experiences as I am sure there are times that it is very busy. But based on my experiences, I would not hesitate to go to the The Villages Hospital in an emergency.

I similarly don't doubt the experiences of other posters, either their own or what they observed, but I reiterate my earlier posting on this thread about my own positive experience in TVRH's emergency room. When I had my accident, I was driven to the hospital; I did NOT arrive by ambulance. Being one of those who had been "frightened unnecessarily" by awful tales about the ER, to quote LyndaS's words, I asked to be taken anywhere but. I was adamantly told that I needed to get to wherever I could get the absolute fastest--and for me it turned out to be the best possible decision.

If there are management issues in the administration of the hospital in general and the ER in particular, then of course they need to be dealt with. But there is no doubt in my mind that the care I received there was as good as I could have gotten at any other hospital within, say, 25 miles. It did (and does) help that I understand the principle of triage too. However, at moments when a large number of patients arrive at the ER--some true emergencies and others really not--the staff and the facility can be overwhelmed, and all they can do is the best they can. We have to remember that EVERYONE who shows up at the ER by law has to be accepted and treated. Some of the stories posted in this thread are terrible, without a doubt, but that is not everyone's experience!

[Parker]

There are consequences to what's been happening to health care in this country, and these horror stories are some of the results. Hospitals can't afford to hire more staff, doctors leaving the profession, lawsuits proliferating, and many not-so-really-sick people using the ER's as a free clinic.

I can only imagine that the ER staff are equally frustrated and stressed. Imagine having to work there, wanting to do a great job and help people, but constrained by the same circumstances the patients see. Meanwhile, the administrators are at home sleeping comfortably in their own beds. Well, that's not really fair either, as they too answer to the budget gods.

And the answer is? Somebody smart post here please...

[twinklesweep]

There are consequences to what's been happening to health care in this country, and these horror stories are some of the results. Hospitals can't afford to hire more staff, doctors leaving the profession, lawsuits proliferating, and many not-so-really-sick people using the ER's as a free clinic.

I can only imagine that the ER staff are equally frustrated and stressed. Imagine having to work there, wanting to do a great job and help people, but constrained by the same circumstances the patients see. Meanwhile, the administrators are at home sleeping comfortably in their own beds. Well, that's not really fair either, as they too answer to the budget gods.

And the answer is? Somebody smart post here please...

I have been following this thread quietly and now waited a few days to see if anyone would answer Parker, and since no one has, I’ll take a stab at it with not a smart post but rather a fantasy post….

I have an impractical answer because (a) it will never happen in the U.S., and (2) it will create a firestorm, particularly from people like those on this thread who have already expressed their displeasure at 30 million uninsured Americans now having access to health care under the recent change in law. And let’s face it: Given what’s happened to the cost of health care, it’s only the insured who can afford it (other than the super wealthy). For example, let’s say a simple blood test costs $40 but that the health insurance companies have negotiated with the lab to pay but $4 for that test, that is, 10%. How can the lab stay in business, as it has to maintain the facility where the blood is drawn as well as that where the blood is processed, plus all the paperwork associated with filing claims as well as providing physicians with the test results? If this is the case, then who pays $40 for this test? Only the uninsured….

We need to eliminate completely the health insurance industry, which is why it will never happen in the U.S., given the $$$$ behind their lobbying. We need a single payer health care system where everyone has access to basic care and beyond that specialized care as needed based on a triage system (like that referred to in this thread as to how the ER works). We need to give up our attitude of “I want what I want when I want it, and I want it NOW!” and accept the principle of triage (difficult for some who posted on this thread). We need to realize that we are the ONLY first world nation without universal health care and to accept that “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” includes being healthy.

The insurance industry is not the only one in the area of health care that spends a fortune on lobbying. For example, we need to eliminate the law that forbids Americans from buying their prescription drugs out of the U.S. in places where identical drugs from identical manufacturers cost considerably less, because bulk purchase prices prevail. The lobbyists of the pharmaceutical industry will see to it that this never happens. Money talks, and it talks loudly, very loudly! And most Americans who take prescription medication are in positions where they have little if any choice, accounting for the poor who cuts their pills in half or even quarters to make them last longer.

Just as “free public education” is far from free, so will “free health care” not be free. Right now my health coverage costs $336.15 monthly (or $4,033.80 annually) + copays and deductibles. Specifically this is $104.90 for Medicare, $184.75 for Medicare Supplement, and $46.50 for the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan (the last a terrible program that caters to both the insurance and pharmaceutical industries and NOT to the consumer, IMHO). The “bureaucracy” of this system is outrageous, among medical offices, hospitals, and other providers devoting energies to the paperwork of claims and their counterparts in the insurance companies approving or denying them as well as dealing with the insured with problems. Imagine a system whereby care is provided based on triage, and the provider is paid out of tax dollars based on a set scale. Thus, instead of the government bureaucracy paying the insurance bureaucracy, there would be but one bureaucracy, while one’s doctor determines what care is needed, rather than a clerk at an insurance company.

It’ll never happen here (as it has in other places)!!!

Instead of eliminating the health insurance industry, the new law kowtows to it, which was likely the only way the law could pass, based on the pressures on legislators by lobbyists. So in some ways we are stuck with the same system, only with more bureaucracy rather than less. At least the real benefit is that all Americans will have access to basic health care, not just those who are fortunate enough to have insurance coverage either from an employer who provides it (many do not) or a government program such as Medicare or Medicaid, even if the system is far from ideal.

I realize I’m not a health care planner, and I’m sure this is oversimplistic. But I know, I know, this is a fantasy U.S. I’m envisioning. And at the risk of repeating myself, it’ll never happen…. So, let the firestorm begin!

[shcisamax]

[QUOTE=twinklesweep;672815]

For example, let’s say a simple blood test costs $40 but that the health insurance companies have negotiated with the lab to pay but $4 for that test, that is, 10%. How can the lab stay in business, as it has to maintain the facility where the blood is drawn as well as that where the blood is processed, plus all the paperwork associated with filing claims as well as providing physicians with the test results? If this is the case, then who pays $50 for this test? Only the uninsured….


YOU ARE ASSUMING THAT THE BLOOD TEST WAS ACTUALLY PRICED CORRECTLY AT $40 AND NOT $4.

[OnTrack]

I don't think anyone doubts that the most urgent cases are first to be treated and that is as it should be. I think we are just wanting to have our medical sitituation improve in The Villages.

I have been following this thread quietly and now waited a few days to see if anyone would answer Parker, and since no one has, I’ll take a stab at it with not a smart post but rather a fantasy post….

I have an impractical answer because (a) it will never happen in the U.S., and (2) it will create a firestorm, particularly from people like those on this thread who have already expressed their displeasure at 30 million uninsured Americans now having access to health care under the recent change in law. And let’s face it: Given what’s happened to the cost of health care, it’s only the insured who can afford it (other than the super wealthy). For example, let’s say a simple blood test costs $40 but that the health insurance companies have negotiated with the lab to pay but $4 for that test, that is, 10%. How can the lab stay in business, as it has to maintain the facility where the blood is drawn as well as that where the blood is processed, plus all the paperwork associated with filing claims as well as providing physicians with the test results? If this is the case, then who pays $50 for this test? Only the uninsured….

We need to eliminate completely the health insurance industry, which is why it will never happen in the U.S., given the $$$$ behind their lobbying. We need a single payer health care system where everyone has access to basic care and beyond that specialized care as needed based on a triage system (like that referred to in this thread as to how the ER works). We need to give up our attitude of “I want what I want when I want it, and I want it NOW!” and accept the principle of triage (difficult for some who posted on this thread). We need to realize that we are the ONLY first world nation without universal health care and to accept that “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” includes being healthy.

The insurance industry is not the only one in the area of health care that spends a fortune on lobbying. For example, we need to eliminate the law that forbids Americans from buying their prescription drugs out of the U.S. in places where identical drugs from identical manufacturers cost considerably less, because bulk purchase prices prevail. The lobbyists of the pharmaceutical industry will see to it that this never happens. Money talks, and it talks loudly, very loudly! And most Americans who take prescription medication are in positions where they have little if any choice, accounting for the poor who cuts their pills in half or even quarters to make them last longer.

Just as “free public education” is far from free, so will “free health care” not be free. Right now my health coverage costs $336.15 monthly (or $4,033.80 annually) + copays and deductibles. Specifically this is $104.90 for Medicare, $184.75 for Medicare Supplement, and $46.50 for the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan (the last a terrible program that caters to both the insurance and pharmaceutical industries and NOT to the consumer, IMHO). The “bureaucracy” of this system is outrageous, among medical offices, hospitals, and other providers devoting energies to the paperwork of claims and their counterparts in the insurance companies approving or denying them as well as dealing with the insured with problems. Imagine a system whereby care is provided based on triage, and the provider is paid out of tax dollars based on a set scale. Thus, instead of the government bureaucracy paying the insurance bureaucracy, there would be but one bureaucracy, while one’s doctor determines what care is needed, rather than a clerk at an insurance company.

It’ll never happen here (as it has in other places)!!!

Instead of eliminating the health insurance industry, the new law kowtows to it, which was likely the only way the law could pass, based on the pressures on legislators by lobbyists. So in some ways we are stuck with the same system, only with more bureaucracy rather than less. At least the real benefit is that all Americans will have access to basic health care, not just those who are fortunate enough to have insurance coverage either from an employer who provides it (many do not) or a government program such as Medicare or Medicaid, even if the system is far from ideal.

I realize I’m not a health care planner, and I’m sure this is oversimplistic. But I know, I know, this is a fantasy U.S. I’m envisioning. And at the risk of repeating myself, it’ll never happen…. So, let the firestorm begin!

ABSOLUTELY!!!!! :bigbow:

It always amazes me at the number of people who think it's OK, for the greatest nation this planet has ever seen....to let so many of its citizens go without basic health care.

And yes, I am fully aware that it is the law to provide serious emergency care.

That is much different than "health care" however.

I truly hope that your well thought out/written post can stay up.......but I wouldn't bet on it. :(

.

[gomoho]

2 things:

We Americans subsidize the pharma industry research by paying more money, just as the uninsured subsidize the insured. So if we were able to pay the lower cost offered to other countries for these drugs research would suffer. Not saying it is right or wrong, but it is what it is.

If you choose a medicare advantage for your health care (assuming it is available where you are) your health care costs would be next to nothing. They reimburse you $99. for your basic medicare and there is no cost for your supplemental or prescription.
It's probably the best deal those of us that have worked hard and paid into the system for many, many years will ever see. Too bad Obamacare wants to get rid of the advantage plan 'cause then all of us enjoying that opportunity will get to pay more. However I believe it is a good example of private industry managing these health care dollars a whole lot better than any government entity could. They are profitable, not running a giant deficit trying to provide service.

[ilovetv]

Maybe those who want the insurance companies to cease and desist could explain how the federal, congressional and postal employees would then have their choice of 25+ private insurer health insurance plans, with family premiums amounting to $1200 per month or more.....and the "government pays" (taxpayer pays) about 70% of that premium for these congressional and federal employees who are not going to vote away their own benefits.

For example, one of the FL Humana family insurance plans premium is $1331 per month, and the government (taxpayer) pays $920 of that employee's monthly premium. These are mighty good benefits that these federal and congressional employees have, but never seem to extend their type of benefits to the uninsured, working poor taxpayer, or the taxpayer who has skeletal coverage and high deductible of several thousand dollars, and no dental, vision, prescription, flexible spending, long-term care and other such benefits that the decision-makers in Washington afford themselves.

Federal and congressional plan choices for FL:

Insurance Programs (http://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/plan-information/plan-codes/2013/states/fl.asp)

Premiums:
http://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/plan-information/nonpostal-hmo.pdf

Plan Information (http://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/plan-information/)

[janmcn]

Just last week, the Florida Legislature decided not to expand medicaid to almost one million uninsured Floridians, thereby passing up 51 billion dollars in federal dollars over the next ten years.

Those federal dollars, paid by Floridians in their income taxes, will now go to other states. Think about that the next time you pay your income taxes. Your tax dollars are going to pay for healthcare in other states. How does that help the healthcare situation in Florida?

[asianthree]

sad to say even if you work in a hospital does not get you any better service in ED

[twinklesweep]

[QUOTE=twinklesweep;672815]

For example, let’s say a simple blood test costs $40 but that the health insurance companies have negotiated with the lab to pay but $4 for that test, that is, 10%. How can the lab stay in business, as it has to maintain the facility where the blood is drawn as well as that where the blood is processed, plus all the paperwork associated with filing claims as well as providing physicians with the test results? If this is the case, then who pays $40 for this test? Only the uninsured….


YOU ARE ASSUMING THAT THE BLOOD TEST WAS ACTUALLY PRICED CORRECTLY AT $40 AND NOT $4.

I'm not sure what is meant here. Is it being suggested that a test involving drawing blood at one facility, transporting it to another, processing the blood, generating test results, notifying the ordering physician of the results, preparing and filing a claim form, and maintaining the bookkeeping might nowadays cost only $4? Or does it mean that the test is WORTH only $4 but that the uninsured are mandated to pay the full freight of $40?


ABSOLUTELY!!!!! :bigbow:

It always amazes me at the number of people who think it's OK, for the greatest nation this planet has ever seen....to let so many of its citizens go without basic health care....

.

What amazes me even more is the number of people who not only think it's okay "to let so many of its citizens go without basic health care" but actually resent or object that those citizens might actually have access to this basic health care with the recent change in the law. All I can do is shake my head....

[njbchbum]

I have been following this thread quietly and now waited a few days to see if anyone would answer Parker, and since no one has, I’ll take a stab at it with not a smart post but rather a fantasy post….
snipped


great post! and while i am not a subscriber to the single payer system philosophy, i, too have a healthcare fantasy......

would that those who are truly concerned about health insurance and health care would eliminate the waste, fraud and abuse in each of those industries. having worked a good number of years in both industries and then in a state office that licenses the professionals and technical employees in those professions - i am confident that such an effort would result in the fiscal wherewithall to provide quality care for all!

adjunct efforts to the elimination of waste, fraud and abuse that are required are the changes in tort law and in the mindset to sue! but that is another issue for another thread!