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Abuse of Emergency Rooms
Emergency room visits have skyrocketed!
According to ScienceDaily, nearly half of the healthcare visits in the US are done in Emergency Rooms.
Many reasons can be blamed for this rise. Some people abuse the emergency rooms and that will always be the case for them. They do not respect the reason why the department was put in place. They use the ER as their “go-to” for any and all medical needs. Recurring visits for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), can be treated by the local Public Health Department.
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A brief history of the Emergency Room
The ER was founded after the second world war, says Bellaire ER. The long-held practice of home visits was no longer practical due to population growth, and so the ER was born.
The federal government began to offer more support for hospital-based care rather than house calls or office visits. Physicians began to practice more specialized medicine. The implementation of sophisticated radiologic diagnostic equipment such as the CT scan and cardiac monitoring necessitated the need for a specialized place for medical interventions as needed.
The American College of Emergency Physicians was established by eight physicians in 1968.
The University of Cincinnati was the first to establish a residency program for the field in 1970. By 1975, the number of approved residencies had grown to 23. There were two academic departments handling the emergency department with 100 residents. — BellaireER,
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What is the purpose of the Emergency Room?
The word emergency should clearly communicate the idea that if there is a threat to life or limb then this is the place to be. If, however, you develop a hangnail or a paper cut, that is NOT an emergency. Believe it, paper cut injuries come to the “emergency” room.
The purpose of the ER is to stabilize life-threatening emergencies. That means the individual is in danger of losing life or limb.
The vast majority of ER visits are for issues that a primary care doctor is best able to serve.
Why?
Your primary care doctor is the health provider who knows you best. This is the person who has a comprehensive background in your health history. This person should have in-depth knowledge of the best course of treatment that is appropriate for her.
When a patient presents to the ER, all we know is what “you” choose to tell us. Oftentimes we have to make an informed decision based on assessment and clinical findings. Patients presenting to the ER tell the nurses one version of “their” truth and the doctor another version.
We look at the total picture and make educated assumptions based on the presentation.
Some patients are “street smart” and their primary purpose for going from ER to ER is to fool healthcare practitioners in an effort to obtain the medications they seek. Often a patient has had a surgical procedure elsewhere, and if an issue develops, they come to the ER, without calling their care provider. If you have had an invasive procedure of any kind the best place for follow-up care is the facility/person who performed the service.
Shopping around at various institutions instead of returning to your original care location can be very irresponsible. Generally, an ER physician will not make any type of modifications with reference to any invasive procedures or medicine unless you are in danger of losing your life or limb.
Before you shop for another care provider, it is prudent that you return to the provider who is monitoring your care.
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What you should takeaway
So, to the general public, an emergency is one in which you fear an imminent loss of your life or limb. If you cannot breathe, or think you are having a heart attack or a stroke, then yes that would be an emergency.
If you are bleeding profusely from your body, that is an emergency. If you suffered a small laceration or think you have a sexually transmitted disease, that is not an emergency. If you need a pregnancy confirmation, that is not an emergency.
A broken tooth cannot be fixed in the ER, a dentist is your friend in this instance.
Choose wisely.
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Some patients simply refuse to take the time to find a care provider, even when they are insured. Many do not speak the language so going to the ER seems easier, (we use a language translator service).
Emergency rooms are inundated 24/7 by non-emergencies, many of which can and should be seen by urgent care, personal care providers, or nurse practitioners. While the reasons for ER overuse are varied, one thing seems certain, they are steadily increasing.
Many of the visits can and should be trimmed as they can be easily managed in less acute settings leaving “room” and talent for more emergent needs. Humans are largely self-centered and will continue to see their paper cut as an all-encompassing emergency, ignoring the fact that the resources can save the life of someone having a truly life-changing event.
They will continue to demand and utilize the “emergency” room for their personal health needs, rather than find and build a relationship with a doctor they can call on for years to come.
Remember it is best to be treated by someone who knows your history rather than “shopping” around for what you “think” you need.
Exercise wisdom, it could save your life.
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This story originally published on @justpene50
Discovered on: 2022-12-22 19:52:07
Source: Why You Should go to Your Doctor Instead of the Emergency Room! Unless ther…
