[OhioBuckeye]

Originally Posted by fw102807

The problem is that they are so inefficient at discharging people. My husband was admitted last year for a cardiac stent. He was cleared to leave the following morning by his cardiologist but had to wait all day to be discharged by the admitting physician.

That's an interesting comment. Most Dr. want to discharge you as soon as they can, because hospitals can be where you catch a lot of things.

[banjobob]

Hospital emergency room for the flu ??

Originally Posted by OhioBuckeye

That's an interesting comment. Most Dr. want to discharge you as soon as they can, because hospitals can be where you catch a lot of things.

We had to wait for the doctor to come in after he was done his office hours. That seems to be the problem. Maybe a solution could be that they hire doctors to simply handle admissions and discharges or maybe they could teleconference. They just need to review the whole system to see how they can improve it.

[wsachs]

I had great care at Florida Hospital Waterman in Tavaras, just south of us. Well worth the drive. My leaking heart valves were diagnosed very promptly and was assigned a great cardiologist. I just walked into the ER around 10 am and was taken care of promptly.

[dmkot2nd]

My dad went to the ER a few weeks ago by ambulance. Again, 100 people in the waiting room. He was taken to a room tucked in the back. We sat with him for five hours. Nurse could not tell us when he would see a doctor. I was told by a retired nurse from Fort Lauderdale that Florida law says a doctor must see a patient within 48 hours. The problem is, they do not have enough ER doctors on staff.

Apparently us old folks are the problem

Research Shows Shortage of More than 100,000 Doctors by 2030

[skip0358]

I have not had a problem however I only go to an ER IF it's an Emergency. Urgent care is quicker & cheaper. You know ALL the local Hospitals are slammed especially this time of year and especially with this years flu season. So why not go to one of the many Urgent cares?
I think some people to the ER just so they can come on here and blast TVRH. Well guess what most all ERs are the same no matter where you live. Why because people go there to be treated instead of Urgent Cares or your normal MD except it's tough to get an appointment at the MD.

[vintageogauge]

The first and last visit we had to the he-- hole we noticed that most of the people waiting for help were young, way to young to be villagers. Don't know why but that is what we saw. Maybe the older villagers were smart enough not to go there.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by vintageogauge

The first and last visit we had to the he-- hole we noticed that most of the people waiting for help were young, way to young to be villagers. Don't know why but that is what we saw. Maybe the older villagers were smart enough not to go there.

I see you are from Hudson, Ohio, practically chipping distance from The Cleveland Clinic. We Buckeyes grew up in an atmosphere similar to those who live in Massachusetts or near Houston in Texas with excellent teaching hospitals around us at almost every location.

However, although this is the first time I have to disagree with you, after having been brought to TVRH on December 21 with a life threatening emergency and staying there in Critical Care for eight days, I cannot think why you would call TVRH a hell hole. I had amazing care, every change, every need was immediately reacted to, and taken care of, both major and minor and the staff of nurses, and aides were exemplary. The cleanliness was stellar. My room was mopped and cleaned every 24 hours and I could watch a huge machine cleaning the halls every 24 hours. A special machine was used to clean the bathrooms daily as well. They were very careful that I identified myself with my date of birth before any procedure and were extremely smart and completely aware of every change that could happen to me. As far as kindness, I felt that they went above and beyond any expectations I might have for them. Even those people who transported and came in to do x-rays were very kind and polite and gentle and so careful.

I am very sorry we have to disagree about this issue because I long to meet you and know I would so enjoy your company and soon just like everyone else I meet you would like my Henry and Helene so much better than me.

[Abby10]

Originally Posted by banjobob

Hospital emergency room for the flu ??

Originally Posted by skip0358

I have not had a problem however I only go to an ER IF it's an Emergency. Urgent care is quicker & cheaper. You know ALL the local Hospitals are slammed especially this time of year and especially with this years flu season. So why not go to one of the many Urgent cares?
I think some people to the ER just so they can come on here and blast TVRH. Well guess what most all ERs are the same no matter where you live. Why because people go there to be treated instead of Urgent Cares or your normal MD except it's tough to get an appointment at the MD.

Posting these together because this is definitely part of the problem. It is beyond me why people do not use urgent care more often. When I had the flu last year, instead of calling my doctor to get an appt, I immediately went to the local urgent care. They took me right in, tested me, gave me medication, and I was home and in bed in no time. The doctor's visit would have been cheaper but I knew, besides the antiviral med, what I really needed was fluids and bedrest, so I wanted to make the visit as quick as possible. No phone call needed, just go there.

The ER is often overused and downright abused by some. The last time I took my husband to the ER for a kidney stone, the young man in the next bed had come in because he had just gotten his medical assistance card and wanted to have "a few things checked". "Things" that he had been letting go for months that were definitely not urgent but I guess he thought it would be easier to go to an ER than to find a primary care doctor. I have seen this with a lot of younger people, especially those on assistance. They abuse the ER instead of taking the time to find a PCP.

Note: Before I get slammed by someone for the comment, let me say, I use those on assistance as the example only because most who get insurance through work or on their own usually have high co-pays ($300-600) for ER visits and wouldn't think to go there unless they absolutely had to.

[Bonny]

I have been admitted to the Villages Hospital 8 or 9 times. A couple of them were 9 & 10 days and I went through ER.
I belong to the Villages Health Care System. I had wonderful care at our hospital. I wouldn't hesitate to go there.
If it's something they can't handle, I trust they'll get me where I need to go.

[Fredster]

Originally Posted by banjobob

Hospital emergency room for the flu ??

Flu can be deadly when you are older, the other day,
I was informed a friend who was only 68 died from it!
I don’t know all the circumstances, but possibly she didn’t think
it was serious enough to go to the ER!

[dillywho]

Originally Posted by vintageogauge

The first and last visit we had to the he-- hole we noticed that most of the people waiting for help were young, way to young to be villagers. Don't know why but that is what we saw. Maybe the older villagers were smart enough not to go there.

I can tell you why. Their health is not a priority for them, so they don't have insurance or doctors. They prefer to spend their money on wants rather than needs. They depend on the ER's for their care. Hospital ER's have to treat, regardless of the ability to pay; Urgent Care facilities do not. The Villages Hospital has an Urgent Care facility. I asked one time why non-emergency cannot be sent over there. That's when they told me that they have to take them, but Urgent Care does not.

[Abby10]

Originally Posted by Fredster

Flu can be deadly when you are older, the other day,
I was informed a friend who was only 68 died from it!
I don’t know all the circumstances, but possibly she didn’t think
it was serious enough to go to the ER!

This is true, but upon first symptoms it generally is not necessary to go to an ER. Early treatment with antivirals, after positive testing, can be done through an urgent care very quickly. The antivirals are not a cure, but can lessen the symptoms, severity, and longevity of the flu. Some people develop complications from the flu that make it deadly as you say. Others who already have immune deficiencies may find going to the ER to be appropriate, but in general it is not an ER situation.

[dillywho]

Originally Posted by skip0358

I have not had a problem however I only go to an ER IF it's an Emergency. Urgent care is quicker & cheaper. You know ALL the local Hospitals are slammed especially this time of year and especially with this years flu season. So why not go to one of the many Urgent cares?
I think some people to the ER just so they can come on here and blast TVRH. Well guess what most all ERs are the same no matter where you live. Why because people go there to be treated instead of Urgent Cares or your normal MD except it's tough to get an appointment at the MD.

They don't have to pay at ER (they do try to collect). Urgent Care can refuse to treat you if you don't pay.