Well now that opens a whole different issue. Are the docs from those schools less than the best??? Have a son who recently graduated magna cum laude from the University of North Carolina. He is 28 with life experience working in the ER of a hosptial in South Carolina and several years working experience in a psychiatric facility, EMT certified and has done Meals on Wheels for several years and actually saved someone's life 'cause he recognized one his stops was not right and the man was having heart problems. But unless he scores absolutely OUTSTANDING on the MCAT (test for admission to medical school) he won't get a spot in a US school 'cause he is a white male and their are only a few spots for those kids.

So I hear you concerns about those "other" medical schools, but not so sure if they are correct. At least the Caribbean schools require you to do your residency in Miami. May be the new "normal".

Hmmmmm! what do you mean by discrepancy? Don't all Docs have to pass the same boards and licensing requirements to practice. I believe all Hospitals have credentialing requirements which undergo scrutiny be thier accredation body. Discrepancy?

Home Heath services
 

Not sure if this will help, but I recently had a hip replaced and went to THe Club for rehab. I couldn't get out fast enough. It was a horrible place. When I came home, I hooked up with a home health care service called "Florida Firstcare." It was wonderful. The Visiting Nurse, home health aid and Physical therapist were all amazing and caring. I highly recommend them.

Had similar experience. Will never go back there

I agree that most ER's are ridiculously busy, however only about 30% of those patients seeking care are truly in need of emergent care. The other 70% do not have timely convenient access to high quality primary care providers to suit their needs.

I have had 3 experiences with The Villages Emergency Room. The first time was for my daughter who cut herself with a knife. total time was 3 hours. I thought that was pretty awesome. Second and third times my husband was brought in by ambulance and the care was commendable. While I am not crazy about the family practice doctors, the urgent care doctors are wonderful. We have to keep searching until we find the doctor for us. Unfortunately they seem to come and go like the wind! Just found new gastro doctor and surgeon and they have a pretty good practice.
In NY we knew our doctors and if someone needed a recommendation we knew who to go to. Here we are all new at this.

I am not the only person who has serious concerns about doctors educated in places outside of the USA, especially those educated in the 3rd world. I will admit to being a "brand snob". I like to have doctors who've graduated from Ivy League-style schools. But if there's a choice between a doctor who was born, raised and educated in the USA over someone from another country I will pick the USA educated doc every single time. USA all the way!

As a former healthcare professional, this is sad to hear. I suspect that many don't understand the criteria for what is considered a "medical emergency." ER personnel are sufficiently trained to identify such, however, in many instances, their assessments are generally in conflict with those who are waiting to received services. You can be assured that a "true" medical emergency will be treated promptly and without delay. On the other hand, you can pretty much bet that not being treated promptly when you arrive at the ER is a clear indication that your "emergency" declaration is clearly not the case.

I would agree with Gracie Girl - perhaps you should have called 911. Just be prepared to pay the difference.... The same is true when you go to the ER. Most insurances will not pay for non-emergency situations which is determined based on the final diagnosis. You have to be willing to pick up the tab based on the final outcome.

Try to understand this. ER personnel see lots of patients who believe they have a "true" medical emergency. What may appear to be a medical emergency to a lay person could easily be considered "routine" medical care to ER personnel. My suggestion to anyone considering use of the ER instead of an Urgent Care Clinic or doctor's office visit is this. If you are required to sit in excess of an hour in an emergency room awaiting treatment, consider leaving and seeking urgent care. Chances are you're going to be stuck with an ER expense that you will regret.

My wife is an ER-NP. Agree 100%!! I'd also like to add that nothing annoys the ER staff much more than somebody taking the "Big Red Bus" to the hospital in an effort to get to the front of the line when they are not experiencing a true life-threatening emergency. In many cases if you do this, besides incurring the charges mentioned above, the charge nurse will simply just triage you at the level you actually rate, and offer you a seat in the waiting room and release the ambulance crew.

I think the whole point of calling 911 is that they can be there in a matter of minutes and can provide critical emergency care right there without the drive to the hospital or the wait in the ER

Even if you ride to the hospital in the ambulance you will still be triaged on your arrival. If you are not either a "1" or "2" you will not get to bypass the wait in the ER. You will wait just like everybody else. All you will have done is rung up a nice big bill to pay for the ride.

I don't think there is a charge for EMS transportation here in TV. There was no charge for EMS transportation in West Chester, Ohio where we moved from.

Somebody correct me if I am wrong.

What I just learned yesterday is that the team that transports you MUST stay with you until you are released to the hands of a doctor. That is why it is important that we schedule our heart attacks and strokes for other than the months of January, February and March when people who do not have MDs here may be overusing the EMS. You may think that the EMS is at the fire station down the street but probably they are putting in "wall time" at the emergency room and can't come and transport you.

GG:The charge will come from your insurance company most likely NOT your local EMS. What was said earlier is that if you are transported and it is NOT found to be a true emergency in the eyes of the hospital and/or insurance company, you're going to get a bill because the insurance isn't going to cover the cost.

You are right about the EMS crews having to stay with their deliveries until they are released. But..the incoming patient will be triaged and the decision will be made as to what level they are on the triage scale. If they are a 3 or lower, it is often likely that the charge nurse will invite that person to have a seat in waiting room until they can be treated, at which time the charge nurse will release the EMS crew. If that does not happen, then the EMS must stay with their delivery until a bed can be found. Now if the incoming patient is a "1" or "2" which indicates a TRUE emergent condition..MI,or stroke in progress, gun shot, serious accident and so on, EMS must stay with their delivery until there is a bed for them, which will be quick.

Many small rural fire companies who have ambulance services often run annual "subscription drives" where you get the opportunity to donate to the fire company. If you should pass on that opportunity and need the ambulance you will get an extra bill because you are not a member.

I'm pretty sure there's an astronomical charge for EMS in the Villages. I had a friend that took EMS a few weeks ago and the charge was out of this world... It was a true emergency too.

It is not part of the services our taxes pay for?

If you need the fire department to put out a fire, is there a charge for that?

It wasn't where we came from.