[Cantwaittoarrive]

Originally Posted by jblum315

Someone should have advised you to take the child to Leesburg Hospital ER. They have pediatric facilities; TV hospital does not. I know because my little grandson fell ill and TV Hospital sent him to Leesburg by ambulance.

Depending on where you live in TV it's also closer

[ilovetv]

Originally Posted by buggyone

Currently, there is a record high of students in medical school. Certain specialties do have a shortage but Congress could fix that quickly by striking a Medicare provision dating back to 1997.

BTW, I have not seen any physicians as clients at the local food pantries!

By striking that provision limiting the number of residency slots Medicare will pay a teaching hospital to provide, the funding to pay those residents a small salary (during their 3-5 years of training) has to come from somewhere, and that would be from Medicare. I don't think anybody wants to see more reduction in Medicare dollars after the cuts already on the table, to help pay for the ACA expansion of Medicaid.

[jbdlfan]

Originally Posted by buggyone

Isn't an Emergency Room for some situation that is life threatening? A stretched or torn Achilles tendon is painful but not life threatening. It is urgent care. Did you ask even them what to do about the pain? If you did, did they say absolutely nothing?

You obviously have never torn your achilles. Second, life threatening? Broken leg, arm, fall, about fifty other highly painful accidents that require IMMEDIATE medical attention. But hey, it's normal to wait 11 hours for treatment in your world, not many of the rest of us. By the way, OP, I am not that far removed from a toddler in distress to understand your feelings.
Keep defending.....keep defending.....

[TraceyMooreRN]

Originally Posted by gatherer47

My visiting friend took her eight month old baby to Leesburg Hospital where they have a pediatric emergency department.She couldn't praise it enough.An eleven hour wait is totally unacceptable.

So what is acceptable time frame to wait in an ER? For those who use it as an Urgent Care facility (no matter their cause--insurance, no insurance). I believe the national average to be 8-10 hours?-Not sure on my numbers. Pile all the "snowbirds" into a community hospital for non-emergencies--you get a CLINIC. Really sick people waiting hours-due to others making a choice to come to an ER for non-emergencies. I wish all insurance companies would say--go to urgent care, if you go to an ER and deemed not emergency, you should have to pay out of pocket. IMO

I know for a fact--Leesburg has 11 hour waits as well. All ER wait times are hit and miss.

The less peak hours in most ERs are 3am-6am---just a scenario. You can always call ahead and check what the wait times are approximately.

I hope that in the future (maybe 10 years) but in the future--we will get approved for a larger hospital near Brownwood. TVRH does not have pediatrics-doesn't mean they can't treat pediatrics. They have to transfer the sickest children out to Leesburg or Ocala. They don't have neurosurgeon most of the time. They don't offer critical heart cases-(bypass surgery). TVRH is not a trauma center. If we could build what Leesburg has at Brownwood...offering a two door emergency room. One will be CLINIC patients other EMERGENCY patients (those who anticipate admission).

Also- please remember do not use up resources like EMS to provide you transportation unless you are having an emergency. Sad- that some people still think that is going to help? Or would even consider this... Most ERs have Triage in the back and in the front. In other words--calling EMS to transport you because you think you will see a doctor sooner--is a BIG MISTAKE and frowned upon wasting resources that could actually save a life. Taking up the closest ambulance to give you a "ride" for a faster triage infuriates medical care providers. It should also infuriate the other citizens in our community. Waste of a great resource for true emergencies. While one ambulance is taking your 4 day headache to the ER--someone in respiratory arrest now has an ambulance that takes 10 minutes longer because the closest one is out on a "Taxi Ride"

If you come to the ER and leave--regardless of the wait time--It was not an emergency. There were other alternatives that you choose not to take, but came to the ER.

[TraceyMooreRN]

Originally Posted by skyguy79

I've put a shortcut on my computer's desktop for quick access to our hospital wait times in case I need to check them before going. On this homepage of the Central Florida Health Alliance website you'll find the wait times for both the Villages Hospital ER and Leesburg's as well! I can't find any information on how frequently it's updated or about its accuracy, but thought I'd provide it anyway for those who are not already aware of this, and you can decided for yourself if you want to also shortcut or bookmark it like I did.

Central Florida Health Alliance | Leesburg, Florida

Wait times posted are the time you wait to see TRIAGE nurse--not an actual MD evaluation-unless a Physician Assistant is still there --depending on what time you time of day you go.

[57ChevyFI]

100,000 plus people, one hospital, is that the hospitals fault? Reminds me of the 2 hour waits at restaurants in the Villages. Is that the restaurants fault as well? We need another hospital, and hopefully people will learn to not use the emergency room for non emergency symptoms.

[perrjojo]

Originally Posted by Wing-nut2

Even if TV built another hospital, could they staff it? There is a shortage of doctors and nurses nation wide. With the cuts in what insurance company's pay for care, could TV afford to build and staff another hospital?

Shortage of doctors and some wonder why? My son is a physician. He went to school (elementary thru med school) for 20 years. After that he had an internship and a residency. Medical school is very expensive. Interns and residents make small salaries. My son has been a physician for 24 years. Last year he saw more patients and made less money than 10 years ago due to decreased insurance, Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. On top of that his staff has increased to handle all of the insurance paper work and referrals. Wonder why we have a shortage of doctors?

[gatherer47]

I'll stand by my original statement-an eleven hour wait for a sick child is totally unacceptable

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by terrieb

One of the many reasons after many visits to The Villages that we decided this was not the place for us to live our retirement, was the lack of a hospital that does it all. With that many senior citizen residents of many health issues of various degrees, you would think as part of the Villages development plan would be a hospital that would take care of all needs. Health care at our age is an important factor in determining where you want to retire. Hospitals in different locations other than TV, 30 minutes away can make a difference in a life and death situation. I have had many conversations with many residents that say their family doctors are in Ocala, Belleview, and even in Gainesville because they are not satisfied with the types of doctors in the Villages. I have read many complaints about the Villages Hospital on this Forum and it is a little scary to read. Lots of golf, lots of clubs, lots of restaurants, lots of bragging on lots of things to do in the Villages until you hear (or not hear) about the medical problems. I hope with the addition to the hospital will bring the waiting down to a reasonable time frame and good doctors to the area.

So, where is this eden that you decided to retire to?

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by nitehawk

I have a problem with why this problem exists ....... is it lack of doctor in this country? Is the AMA so strong as to only allowing a certain amount of doctor in this country at any one time as one doctor per 5000 people ...... why cant we produce more doctors .... is their not enough qualified people .....I doubt that ... then what is the problem? ?..we dont have a problem with making laywers.....sorry for getting off subject, but cant understand why one would have to wait such a long time to see a doctor...maybe making more doctors would solve any problem as the result would result in doctors working less hours and charging more money..

Do a Google search on "doctor shortage", all of your questions will be answered.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by ilovetv

Producing more medical school graduates will not solve the problem of too few residency program slots in which to do their primary care or specialty training--which they have to have.

"......A physician shortage in the U.S. was expected even before the Affordable Care Act was signed into law in 2010, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Now the group estimates that there will be a shortage of 63,000 doctors by 2015 and 130,600 by 2025.

The shortage is a result of several factors. A large number of medical professionals are reaching retirement age, as is a large group of patients: Nearly 15 million will become eligible for Medicare in the coming years, the Association of American Medical Colleges reports.

On top of that, there is a lack of residency spots available for students graduating from medical school. In 2011, more than 7,000 were left with degrees that said "M.D." but no place to continue their education, according to the National Residency Matching Program.

Why your waiter has an M.D.

Many residency spots are funded by Medicare, and there's a cap on the number a hospital can claim each year. That number, about 100,000, has remained steady since 1997. While the Affordable Care Act will redistribute some unused residency slots and increase funding for the National Health Service Corps, more needs to be done, advocates say.

"There will be real physician shortages if we don't do more to lift the residency cap," said Dr. Atul Grover, the Association of American Medical Colleges' chief advocacy officer......

Your health care is covered, but who's going to treat you? - CNN.com

"Medicare funds the vast majority of residency training in the US. This tax-based financing covers resident salaries and benefits through payments called Direct Medical Education payments. Medicare also uses taxes for Indirect Medical Education, a subsidy paid to teaching hospitals in exchange for training resident physicians. For the 2008 fiscal year these payments were $2.7 and $5.7 billion respectively. Overall funding levels have remained at the same level over the last ten years, so that the same number or fewer residents have been trained under this program.

Meanwhile, the US population continues to grow older, which has led to greater demand for physicians. At the same time the cost of medical services continue rising rapidly and many geographic areas face physician shortages, both trends suggesting the supply of physicians remains too low.

Medicare finds itself in the odd position of having assumed control of graduate medical education, currently facing major budget constraints, and as a result, freezing funding for graduate medical education, as well as for physician reimbursement rates. This halt in funding in turn exacerbates the exact problem Medicare sought to solve in the first place: improving the availability of medical care....."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicare_(United_States)

In addition:
The number of federally funded residency training positions was capped by Congress in 1997 by the Balanced Budget Act. The 26,000 residency positions available for first year trainees will not be enough to provide training for the students graduating from medical school as early as 2016. In addition, Medicare support of graduate medical education (GME) includes paying its share of the costs of training, as well as supporting the higher costs of critical care services, such as emergency rooms and burn units, on which communities rely. Without adequate support, the ability of teaching hospitals to provide essential patient care is threatened.

[Vernster]

Originally Posted by nitehawk

I have a problem with why this problem exists ....... is it lack of doctor in this country? Is the AMA so strong as to only allowing a certain amount of doctor in this country at any one time as one doctor per 5000 people ...... why cant we produce more doctors .... is their not enough qualified people .....I doubt that ... then what is the problem? ?..we dont have a problem with making laywers.....sorry for getting off subject, but cant understand why one would have to wait such a long time to see a doctor...maybe making more doctors would solve any problem as the result would result in doctors working less hours and charging more money..

One of the reasons there are fewer physicians now is because of the reduction in reimbursement from insurance companies; particularly Medicaid and Medicare. Private insurance companies pay somewhat more but frequently also reduce their payments. This is a particular problem for primary care physicians who are paid much less than specialists. Most medical docs are over $200,000 in debt when they finish their education and have no money left to open a private practice like was done in the past. The result is multi medical practices owned and run by large corporations. Very few doctors today have the luxury of owning their own practice, hiring their office staff and charging their patients what they wish.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Abster

Let's face it...the cement jungle's problems continue to grow. Picture another 20,000 by 2018 (today's paper). How do you think those wait times, appointment scheduling, reservations and traffic will fair - given it is already a hot mess.

This is a proud statement of your village community............................

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Vladimir

I agree with OP. Moved here 2 months ago. Took 2 months for an apt just to sign up with The Villages Health Care and now it will take another 3 months just for the initial "get to know" doctor visit with whose credentials I am not impressed - wow!
So on Friday I tore my achilles heel and went to The Villages ER. I sat there for 3 hours and saw that it was a lost cause and would never get anyone to help me. Went to the Exceptional Urgent Care on Rt 466 and after a 2 hour wait was told it is posibly a tear or rupture, was sent for MRI at the Morse building on Friday (with results not available over the weekend) and was not even told what I should do with the pain and ankle until the offices are open on Monday. I had to look up course of action on line from the Mayo Clinic. Needless to say I am disappointed with the health care here, know it will get worse every where under Obamacare. I will try Leesburg or Ocala hospitals and doctors in the future and hope my health holds up.

How do you know this?
BTW I have been to Urgent Care in the past and have been give a written statement of what to do with the injury. In one case I asked what to do and was told. We do have to take a little responsibility.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by TraceyMooreRN

So what is acceptable time frame to wait in an ER? For those who use it as an Urgent Care facility (no matter their cause--insurance, no insurance). I believe the national average to be 8-10 hours?-Not sure on my numbers. Pile all the "snowbirds" into a community hospital for non-emergencies--you get a CLINIC. Really sick people waiting hours-due to others making a choice to come to an ER for non-emergencies. I wish all insurance companies would say--go to urgent care, if you go to an ER and deemed not emergency, you should have to pay out of pocket. IMO

I know for a fact--Leesburg has 11 hour waits as well. All ER wait times are hit and miss.

The less peak hours in most ERs are 3am-6am---just a scenario. You can always call ahead and check what the wait times are approximately.

I hope that in the future (maybe 10 years) but in the future--we will get approved for a larger hospital near Brownwood. TVRH does not have pediatrics-doesn't mean they can't treat pediatrics. They have to transfer the sickest children out to Leesburg or Ocala. They don't have neurosurgeon most of the time. They don't offer critical heart cases-(bypass surgery). TVRH is not a trauma center. If we could build what Leesburg has at Brownwood...offering a two door emergency room. One will be CLINIC patients other EMERGENCY patients (those who anticipate admission).

Also- please remember do not use up resources like EMS to provide you transportation unless you are having an emergency. Sad- that some people still think that is going to help? Or would even consider this... Most ERs have Triage in the back and in the front. In other words--calling EMS to transport you because you think you will see a doctor sooner--is a BIG MISTAKE and frowned upon wasting resources that could actually save a life. Taking up the closest ambulance to give you a "ride" for a faster triage infuriates medical care providers. It should also infuriate the other citizens in our community. Waste of a great resource for true emergencies. While one ambulance is taking your 4 day headache to the ER--someone in respiratory arrest now has an ambulance that takes 10 minutes longer because the closest one is out on a "Taxi Ride"

If you come to the ER and leave--regardless of the wait time--It was not an emergency. There were other alternatives that you choose not to take, but came to the ER.

A lot of good advice given here...........some should read all of it a second time!