[gamby]

I had a very bad experience in the village hospital last week;


I saw my doctor and he thought I had a lung infection. Things got worse so
I called him the next day (Friday) and got an answering machine , I did leave a message but never got a return call.

I had been coughing blood for several days , I developed severe chest pain so I decided to go to the E.R.;
After I was checked in I got an EKG and was sent to the waiting area.
3 hours later I had not even got to the insurance person yet. At this point A lady came into the area and announced there was 5 ambulances and another on the way , We were told we would not expect to be seen anytime soon because of this.

I then left

We've been here 2 months and are considering moving out of the area because I need quality medical care due to multiple medical issues.
I don't see it here !

[BarryRX]

Originally Posted by gamby

I had a very bad experience in the village hospital last week;


I saw my doctor and he thought I had a lung infection. Things got worse so
I called him the next day (Friday) and got an answering machine , I did leave a message but never got a return call.

I had been coughing blood for several days , I developed severe chest pain so I decided to go to the E.R.;
After I was checked in I got an EKG and was sent to the waiting area.
3 hours later I had not even got to the insurance person yet. At this point A lady came into the area and announced there was 5 ambulances and another on the way , We were told we would not expect to be seen anytime soon because of this.

I then left

We've been here 2 months and are considering moving out of the area because I need quality medical care due to multiple medical issues.
I don't see it here !

So far I see the Villages medical as , " Ä doctors honey pot"

I'm sorry for your bad experience. Hospital ER's have to triage. If they were dealing with 6 ambulances, they were probably forced to use the limited resources of a regional hospital for cases that were more critical than yours. I hope you eventually got the medical care you needed and that you're alright now.

[Madelaine Amee]

Originally Posted by gamby

I had a very bad experience in the village hospital last week; I saw my doctor and he thought I had a lung infection. Things got worse so I called him the next day (Friday) and got an answering machine , I did leave a message but never got a return call. I had been coughing blood for several days , I developed severe chest pain so I decided to go to the E.R.; After I was checked in I got an EKG and was sent to the waiting area.
3 hours later I had not even got to the insurance person yet. At this point A lady came into the area and announced there was 5 ambulances and another on the way , We were told we would not expect to be seen anytime soon because of this. I then left We've been here 2 months and are considering moving out of the area because I need quality medical care due to multiple medical issues. I don't see it here ! So far I see the Villages medical as , " Ä doctors honey pot"

You have obviously had a frightening and miserable experience, and being new to the area makes it even more so. A major clue as to your condition was "After I was checked in I got an EKG and was sent to the waiting area" - believe me if you had been having a heart attack you would have been admitted immediately, the fact that you were not admitted on the results of the EKG shows that nothing required immediate attention.

Don't give up on us just yet, wait it out, things will calm down and when you find the right medical people and they get to know YOU and your medical history, you will be fine.

My personal recommendation to anyone with a medical problem is to go to either one of the two very good critical care units we have in TV. One is off 466, behind CVS on the corner of 101, the other is in Lake Sumter Landing. I have found their staff to be more than efficient and knowledgeable, and if they think you need to be in a hospital they call an ambulance and you are immediately admitted.

[zcaveman]

That is why I always opt for MRMC in Ocala when there is an emergency.

[njbchbum]

Originally Posted by gamby

I had a very bad experience in the village hospital last week;


I saw my doctor and he thought I had a lung infection. Things got worse so
I called him the next day (Friday) and got an answering machine , I did leave a message but never got a return call.

I had been coughing blood for several days , I developed severe chest pain so I decided to go to the E.R.;
After I was checked in I got an EKG and was sent to the waiting area.
3 hours later I had not even got to the insurance person yet. At this point A lady came into the area and announced there was 5 ambulances and another on the way , We were told we would not expect to be seen anytime soon because of this.

I then left

We've been here 2 months and are considering moving out of the area because I need quality medical care due to multiple medical issues.
I don't see it here !

So far I see the Villages medical as , " Ä doctors honey pot"

gamby - your experience was an unfortunate one. my first reaction to your tale is to get another doctor who does not use an answering machine! i agree with another poster that my next step would have been to one of tv's emergency care facilities to be evaluated.

sorry you didn't know that arriving ambulances take precedent over the 'take a number' system used in so many e.r. waiting rooms.
I then left

before i'd consider leaving the villages, i'd consider my alternatives for medical care in the villages. why not give that some consideration?

[Mikeod]

I would just add that the facilities mentioned above should not be used for "critical" issues. They are urgent care clinics, best used for conditions that need to be evaluated soon, but are not life threatening. If you feel you have a life threatening situation, call 911.

[Carla B]

But if urgent care sees a condition that is life-threatening, they'll call the ambulance. That happened to me at Paramount a few months ago.

[Mr Hanky]

Maybe the villages should consider a full service hospital. Large towns with fifty thousand people have them. The villages plans on haver over one hundred thousand high maintenance residents soon . I think the next project should be a new state of the art hospital. We need it !

[NotGolfer]

Originally Posted by mikeod

I would just add that the facilities mentioned above should not be used for "critical" issues. They are urgent care clinics, best used for conditions that need to be evaluated soon, but are not life threatening. If you feel you have a life threatening situation, call 911.

I agree with this poster's comment! Urgent Care facilities here are for non-lift-threatening conditions--they will tell you this. They're to be used if you can't see your primary doctor for something, such as the flu, a sinus or ear infection, some kinds of wounds etc. They also shouldn't be used as your only source of a primary practioner.

As for the E.R.---it's true they triage patients according to their condition. IF your's in non-life-threatening you won't take precidence over someone whose needing emergency care. IF they were expecting 5 ambulances then that would definately be taking precidence. I'm sorry that you felt your care wasn't prioritized. I do believe that most hospitals do this, no matter what part of the country one lives in. I had the opportunity (if you will) of going to The Villages Emergency Room last year. While I felt my status should have been looked at expediously, I was in there for 3 to 4 hours. I'm sure the personnel were doing the best they could given the circumstances. I, later was admitted after which I can't say enough about the excellant care that I was given. This all happened on a holiday weekend when my physician couldn't be contacted as well. Hopefully you won't base your experience on this event!! There are very good doctors in this area...as in every area of the country you will also find some that aren't so good.

[Irishmen]

No things won't get any better. My wife over the summer waited from 4pm to 3 am just to be seen. On the other occasion it was better, we only waited 7 hours.
Problem is no beds available. Doctors take the easy way out by sending us to the Emergency room when we could go to,their office if they let us to be seen. Also, the Hospital is seriously understaffed and over worked. They do the best they can but the volume is just to much. Even at incentive of double time and triple during the weekends, their just isn't enough nurses. Right now under Medicaid people without insurance are allowed 20 Emergency room visits per year with no copayment so every drippy nose they run to the Hospital.

[Mudder]

The Villages hospital now has an Urgent Care facility across 441 from the hospital. I have had to go to Villages ER twice in the last year, once I was taken in immediately due to nature of my problem , the other time I waited for 3 hours. If it was serious enough that I had to enter in an ambulance I would hope others would understand.

[billethkid]

I have heard tales like this too many times in the 8 years I have been here.
As a matter of fact there are those who will not go to TV emergency room unless they are brought in by ambulance to get the priority treatment.

I was able to witness how TV hospital room works (or should say doesn't work) when my sister had an emergency situation with her heart.....too long a wait....then finally put in a bed in a hallway....then into the ER to stay all night with a curtain for a room....then to a room. The cardiologist was just as frustrated. Hence that experience plus too many accounts like the one presented here;

in a serious medical emergency we have it stated in our emergency notification kit to be transported to either Leesburg or MRMC.

btk

[SALYBOW]

Originally Posted by gamby

I had a very bad experience in the village hospital last week;


I saw my doctor and he thought I had a lung infection. Things got worse so
I called him the next day (Friday) and got an answering machine , I did leave a message but never got a return call.

I had been coughing blood for several days , I developed severe chest pain so I decided to go to the E.R.;
After I was checked in I got an EKG and was sent to the waiting area.
3 hours later I had not even got to the insurance person yet. At this point A lady came into the area and announced there was 5 ambulances and another on the way , We were told we would not expect to be seen anytime soon because of this.

I then left

We've been here 2 months and are considering moving out of the area because I need quality medical care due to multiple medical issues.
I don't see it here !

I am very sorry that you had this experience. While I see both sides of it, this is way too long to wait. I work at the Villages hospital but when I need help, I call first to both Leesburg and TVRH ERs. If they are busy I go to one of the ERS in Ocala, West Marion or Munroe Regional. I have been very satisfied with the care at all of the hospitals.

Btw, Dr. Bettancorp is the pulmonary doc I feel is best. Dr Couterier is the Best cardiologist in my opinion. My PCP is Dr. Agbo and he would not allow this kind of care.

The hospital is planning on building a free standing ER facility near the new square but I do not know the timing yet. That should help.
Again, sorry for you plight.

[Cantwaittoarrive]

Anytime we have had a true emergency we have always used an ambulance when going to the ER both back home and in TV and have always received the emergency care we needed in a prompt timely manner. Anytime we haven't had a true emergency we have always called the Dr and gotten into his office to receive the care we needed. I would suggest if you beleive it's urgent enough to go to the ER (after all ER stands for "emergency room") use an ambulance otherwise why use the ER if it's not an emergency?

[SALYBOW]

Originally Posted by Mr Hanky

Maybe the villages should consider a full service hospital. Large towns with fifty thousand people have them. The villages plans on haver over one hundred thousand high maintenance residents soon . I think the next project should be a new state of the art hospital. We need it !

It was first announced that TVRH was granted a CON for a new hospital in Brownwood. I know that is about to expire. I have heard a RUMOR that Watermann is trying to get into that area. At our General Staff meetings at the hospital I get the feeling that TVRH cannot afford a new hospital, ergo the switch to the new ED plan. That might help with the Ambulance issue but my neighbor went in an ambulance, was triaged, and still sat in the waiting room for 6 hours. I think the hospital needs to hear from you all. The only time I went to the ER it was not a long wait. Besides they might see me as a disgruntled employee. Just a suggestion.