[rjm1cc]

Originally Posted by OldDave

This is the second such story I've seen just in the last few days here. I wasn't too worried until Gracie also seems to think there is a problem. Frankly as someone who has had more than their share of ER visits, it terrifies me.

Can you explain what is causing these long delays in the ER? Are they understaffed, are they just overwhelmed with too many patients coming to the ER? There must be come explanation for this. Can anyone shed some light on this cause and whether it is like this everyday, or just in some cases..

And what is the closest hospital with a well run ER?

Thanks,

Dave

This is not uncommon up North. I think the flue is the current problem. I think it is basically demand exceeding staffing. However, as costs have to be cut to keep the doors open I would expect longer waits.

[justjim]

Originally Posted by rjm1cc

This is not uncommon up North. I think the flue is the current problem. I think it is basically demand exceeding staffing. However, as costs have to be cut to keep the doors open I would expect longer waits.

OP'S 90 year old mother was admitted----but after 7 hours! Yes, there is a staffing problem. It's not just during the so called snowbird season either. I personally know of a next door neighbor and a friend who had a 4 and 5 hour wait after accidents (in pain with broken bones) and it was not during the winter. The neighbor had a week hospital stay. If we want to be Florida's Healthiest Hometown, the Villages Hospital ER is going to have to do better and I believe it's possible for them to improve with aggressive management and administration. We should expect better!

[Cantwaittoarrive]

Originally Posted by SandB

Last week we moved into our new home in The Villages and we are very excited to finally be here. My 90 year old mother-in-law lives with us and had a significant health problem. We took her to The Villages Regional Hospital emergency room and had to wait 7 hours before a doctor could see her. In the meantime her breathing became more labored and exhaustion set in. This did not motivate the ER staff to help. Finally, she was admitted at 2:00 AM. The next evening the staff forgot to provide her dinner. Two hours late they did provide her a sandwich.

Our experience may have been an anomaly but it does raise the concern of healthcare in general in The Villages. I hope we did not make a mistake in moving here.

I would have called EMS. If you go in by EMS they will see you pronto

[Cantwaittoarrive]

Originally Posted by OldDave

I also cannot image someone calling an ambulance for someone who was mobile and had a person to drive them, again all things being equal.

You can be mobil and have someone to drive you and still be in an emergent life threatening situation and need to call 911 EMS. For example, respiratory distress, heart attack, stroke, bleeding, head injury and numerous other situations. In most of these cases not only will you get priority treatment at the ER but EMS is trained to start the evaluation and can provide O2, clot busting meds and other treatments before you even arrive at the ER

[StarbuckSammy]

There seems to be a real problem with The Villages ER...come on folks...the complaints have been going on for years and years. It is an issue. Even the POA looked into it. Some good ER's will post the wait time on their web site...would The Villages Hospital ER dare to do that?

[rubicon]

He who doctors himself has a fool for a patient"". Conversely suggesting that to bypass TV ER by calling an EMS may leave more vunerable victims left to wait too long. Conversely suggesting Urgent Care over Emergency Care can also create problems.

It is true that The Villages Hospital ahs had problems from day one and it continues. Why????? Is there a dis-interest by medical providers to offer better care because mediare is primary for most of us ?????

My preference is to utilize the Munroe system and hospital. After a number of disappointments with primary care doctors in The Villages, at his suggestion, I use my cardiologist as my primary care doctor because i can rely on him and his staff. He is thorough, caring and will spend the necessary time with you.

[llaran]

If at all possible do not go to the er here or in leesburg - get a dr the has privlieges at Monroe or Ocala Regional - the er is about a half an hour

[dbenzie]

Originally Posted by rubicon

He who doctors himself has a fool for a patient"". Conversely suggesting that to bypass TV ER by calling an EMS may leave more vunerable victims left to wait too long. Conversely suggesting Urgent Care over Emergency Care can also create problems.

It is true that The Villages Hospital ahs had problems from day one and it continues. Why????? Is there a dis-interest by medical providers to offer better care because mediare is primary for most of us ?????

My preference is to utilize the Munroe system and hospital. After a number of disappointments with primary care doctors in The Villages, at his suggestion, I use my cardiologist as my primary care doctor because i can rely on him and his staff. He is thorough, caring and will spend the necessary time with you.

Who is your Cardiologist??

[Roaddog53]

Originally Posted by OldDave

This is the second such story I've seen just in the last few days here. I wasn't too worried until Gracie also seems to think there is a problem. Frankly as someone who has had more than their share of ER visits, it terrifies me.

Can you explain what is causing these long delays in the ER? Are they understaffed, are they just overwhelmed with too many patients coming to the ER? There must be come explanation for this. Can anyone shed some light on this cause and whether it is like this everyday, or just in some cases..

And what is the closest hospital with a well run ER?

Thanks,

Dave

I too am a bit puzzled by a 7 hour wait and long delays. Most ERs take critical patients first, but I doubt that there was 7 hours of critical patients at one time. Are they short staffed? Too many people going there for "minor" reasons vs. maybe an outpatient care center? I have also seen/heard in the past people coming into ERs with "Fake" issues to be seen sooner. A friend of ours was the ER nurse supervisor. Slows the process?
Other option for them would be to ask how long it would be and when they tell you they don't know, or hours, go somewhere else if you think you will get in faster. Or... As GG says, go home, call the EMS and have them take care of it

[renielarson]

Ever since we became Villagers in 2005, there has been a general consensus that The Villages does not have the best hospital or the best doctors. Not everyone believes that but the majority does.

For that reason, I was hesitant choosing a primary care physician when we moved here. Then I became ill and had no choice but to go to Urgent Care for treatment. I told the Urgent Care doctor of my dilemma...not knowing where to go to find a good general physician. I was advised, by this Urgent Care physician, to go outside The Villages and was given names of 3 doctors elsewhere.

I researched all 3 and chose one. I have to drive about 30 minutes to his office but it's worth every mile. He is not only a doctor with great pr, but he also takes his time with me, doesn't rush my appointment, talks to me in layman terms, and is very thorough.

I put my faith in the Urgent Care physician and was led to a doctor I trust.

[skip0358]

There are times the Ambulance Service is abused but consider this. Your 90 year old Mom is having trouble breathing or chest pains and you decide to drive them instead of calling 911. After 10 minutes in the car they go unconscious or go into Cardiac Arrest what now, you have to call 911 for transport or they'll be dead before you reach the Hospital. The FD and EMS service in TV has very professionally staffed personnel on duty 24x7. Use them the right way. The Hospital ER is far to often used for a Clinic which ties up beds and slows done ER care. Non Life Threatening people should go to a Dr or Urgent Care facility if they are available.

[Jhooman]

Last July I was in hideous pain with diverticulitis. I went to The Village hospital and was treated with dignity, care and diligence. The next day I had surgery for a perforated colon and colostomy bag. I was hospitalized for 10 days. My treatment was fabulous, the food not so good.

Three months ago I had my colostomy reversed at The Village hospital. Once again, I was teated well, except the food was still hideous. Dr. Han, my surgeon was on top of my situation.

I'm currently using a doctor in Orlando for general needs. The so called doc here in TV is inept. My husband and I fired her.

We are still shopping for a family doctor or internist locally. During this search, I will drive to Orlando for my basic medical needs.

[ssmith]

.....I work in Cardiology up North....I am worried about the Medical there too. I have seen the medical profession decide they run like a business...I do understand....they need to pay bills too.....but I believe in some cases it has become a moral issue. You see Medicare does not pay well....most in that area are on Medicare....too much hastle. Why would a doctor move there to practice when he can make more money elsewhere....with less Medicare patients....where in Ocala or elsewhere there is a lesser percentage of Medicare patients. Sorry just reality! We have similar issue up north...most Cardiology patients are on Medicare....we have had to make some drastic decisions regarding this to make it profitable.

I wonder if many temp visitors go to the ER cause of insurance...less hastle. I also wonder if some go to the ER cause the flu can be quite serious for the those with compromised health issues (ie already have heart issues etc).

I do agree about calling EMS....what may seem like a simple issue with chest pain etc can quickly become life threatening and I feel sorry for the loved one put in that position of driving and then someone becomes critical on the way. With this being said....common sense should rule....No need for EMS for fever and chills ...if you get my drift.

Again I am glad there is good medical just 1/2 hr away and at times I do know that you should not drive that far if it is a very dire situaltion but...in many major cities it takes a half hours to just go a few miles so be sure to weigh that in the decision process as well.

Take care all of you and glad this is coming to the forefront so everyone can make wise decisions. It definitely would not keep me from moving there if only I could.

[fraurauch]

My husband has been to the TV ER twice. Each time he has spent 7 to 8 hours in the examining room before he was admitted. Then after his hospitalization, when the doctor told him he could go home, it took the same amount of time to get him out of there. While he was there, the care was good. There is something wrong with the way they are doing things at that hospital.

[Villages Kahuna]

Originally Posted by SandB

Last week we moved into our new home in The Villages and we are very excited to finally be here. My 90 year old mother-in-law lives with us and had a significant health problem. We took her to The Villages Regional Hospital emergency room and had to wait 7 hours before a doctor could see her. In the meantime her breathing became more labored and exhaustion set in. This did not motivate the ER staff to help. Finally, she was admitted at 2:00 AM. The next evening the staff forgot to provide her dinner. Two hours late they did provide her a sandwich.

Our experience may have been an anomaly but it does raise the concern of healthcare in general in The Villages. I hope we did not make a mistake in moving here.

There's a reason why Villages Health is very actively in the process of hiring 64 new primary care physicians to man the eight new primary care offices under construction and to be opened shortly in The Villages. Think about it.

The problems with TVRH ER are legendary. I had to use rthe ER entrance a couple weeks ago to get a test done, which had been pre-arranged and express-registered by my physician. When I arrived on a Tuesday afternoon, the parking lot was filled with cars and there wasn't even one open chair in the ER waiting room. The admitting staff had no idea about my "express registration" and didn't know where to look for it or who to call.

Everyone needs to form their own opinion and make their own choices about which hospital to use and which doctors to choose. Maybe a place to start would be to ask each and every doctor you come in contact with whether they would use TVRH or permit their family to be admitted there. I got an amazing--and disturbing--series or answers, comments and anecdotes regarding the hospital from the four local doctors who I asked that question. Don't believe all that is said in this thread or even what I have posted. Do your own research.

The issues certainly aren't the physical plant. But it's pretty clear that both the quantity and quality of doctors with privileges at TVRH, and the management of the hospital itself needs attention. I'm of a belief that the problems at TVRH are well known and will ultimately be corrected. But to create and grow a hospital at the same pace that The Villages itself is growing will take time. I just hope not too much time.