Posted by Sonny Saggar on Mon, May 07, 2012 @ 12:36 PM
Urgent Matters THE blog for 'The Non-Emergency Room'.
Are you doing your part to ensure the American Red Cross maintains an adequate blood
supply? You can help by donating blood on the Red Cross donor coach at Downtown Urgent
Care at 916 Olive Street on Saturday, May 26.
Blood donations by high school and college students make up 25 percent of all Red Cross blood
donations. Now that May is here around and classes are ending, fewer students donate blood. Plus, high school and college blood drives are coming to an end. Without student participation, blood donations to the Red Cross typically fall 15 to 20 percent during the summer months, May thru' August.
You can help the Red Cross and patients in need compensate for the expected decline by
making an appointment to give blood. There is no substitute that covers all the needs of human
blood transfusion. Blood and platelets come from generous volunteer donors who take the
time to help save lives. Blood has a shelf life of 42 days, and platelets just five days. It must
constantly be replenished.
Do your part, and encourage others to do the same, by donating blood on the Red Cross donor coach on Saturday, May 26, from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at Downtown Urgent Care. Just go to redcrossblood.org and enter the sponsor code 'DOWNTOWN' to book your donation.
Thank you for helping us.
916 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63101 | 314.436.9300 | DowntownUrgentCareSTL.com
623 West 5th Street, Eureka, MO 63025 | 636.549.2100 | EurekaUrgentCare.com
Disclaimer
This blog is for general discussion, education, entertainment and amusement. Nothing written here constitutes medical advice nor are any hypothetical cases discussed intended to be construed as medical advice. Please do not contact me with specific medical questions or concerns. All clinical cases on this blog are presented for educational or general interest purposes and every attempt has been made to ensure that patient confidentiality and HIPAA are respected. All cases are fictionalized, either in part or in whole, depending on how much I needed to embellish to make it a good story to protect patient privacy.
All Content is Copyright of the author, and reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Posted by Sonny Saggar on Mon, Apr 16, 2012 @ 08:04 AM
Urgent Matters THE blog for 'The Non-Emergency Room'.
No that wasn't a typo. I'm talking about canines guarding your house. I'm taling about physicians who simply don't have the time to really sit down and listen to your concerns and examine you properly.
It's such a travesty in this era that physicians are so hard-pressed to see so many patients in so little time that one can easily see how 'quality control' is lost. More people die from medical errors each year than any other cause of death! One must wonder if a few extra minutes were spent sitting down with the patient and listening, really listening, to what they're saying. Then really examining them for whatever the problem is, as well as a thorough annual examination by a primary care provider; maybe that would lessen the incidence of medical errors. Obvious? Well, for those many physicians' groups and hospital groups reading this, I just have to tell you: sometimes the best things in life are free and I just gave you some free advice!
How would you feel if your physician yawned while you were telling him/her your problem? What if he kept looking at his watch? I mean, does he have a hot lunch date or are there 5 patients waiting for him and he's trying to pace himself. Probably the latter, but you get my point. Does your provider (e.g. physician or nurse practitioner for example), actually take a few seconds to pull up a chair and SIT DOWN with you and listen? Do they look in your throat, your ears, listen to your lungs (not with your sweater on)? Do they check your pulses and listen to your heart beating for more than 1.5 seconds?
These are the kind of important things that (1) catch problems, preventing errors in diagnosis and management and (2) patients should expect. After all, what's the point of wasting a few hours to go see your provider when they're just blinding you with science, haven't really listened to you or examined you and then prescribed something that had nothing to do with your problem? Of course, that's an extreme case but, if the frequency of medical errors is anything to go by, it happens every minute during office hours, all over the country.
We do things a bit differently at Downtown Medical (Internal Medicine) and Downtown Urgent Care. Our providers are trained to be aware of all the above points. We REALLY listen. We almost always SIT DOWN with every patient, putting us in the right frame of mind to actually PAY ATTENTION, and on top of it all, I don't even wear a watch! How did we get around the challenge of patient volume? We hired more providers! We extended our hours! And we'll just keep on doing that (aka 'the right thing') as long as we continue to get busier. We strive to never allow our providers feel like they're 'just too swamped to think', as is the case at so many medical offices and hospitals.
Choose your providers carefully. Don't just go for the facilities that have the flashiest buildings and offices, with the nicest carpets and the valet parking. Don't just go for the doctor who paid for a full page ad to be a 'Best Doctor' in last summer's popular coffee-table magazines. Don't fall for the hyper. Trust your health with people who really care, really listen and are really paying attention.
There's my thought for the day to start your week off right. By the way, quit smoking, wear a seatbelt, practice safe-sex and see your physician at least once a year just to make sure everything is going well. We can always race for a cure for anything, but as we're all aware, PREVENTION is better than cure.
Have a happy and healthy week.
Sonny Saggar, MD.
916 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63101 | 314.436.9300 | DowntownUrgentCareSTL.com
623 West 5th Street, Eureka, MO 63025 | 636.549.2100 | EurekaUrgentCare.com
Disclaimer
This blog is for general discussion, education, entertainment and amusement. Nothing written here constitutes medical advice nor are any hypothetical cases discussed intended to be construed as medical advice. Please do not contact me with specific medical questions or concerns. All clinical cases on this blog are presented for educational or general interest purposes and every attempt has been made to ensure that patient confidentiality and HIPAA are respected. All cases are fictionalized, either in part or in whole, depending on how much I needed to embellish to make it a good story to protect patient privacy.
All Content is Copyright of the author, and reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Posted by Sonny Saggar on Tue, Apr 10, 2012 @ 11:41 AM
Urgent Matters THE blog for 'The Non-Emergency Room'.
Why aren't any podiatrists writing about this?
Has the sight of cool-looking people traipsing around Forest Park or the streets of Downtown in Vibram FiveFingers made you anxious to start barefoot running? Responding to the minimalist shoe craze, the American Council on Exercise decided to test out those barefoot running shoes to see how they fared for normal everyday runners. The council tested Vibram's Bilkia model on 16 recreational joggers and compared their performance running in these shoes, regular neutral shoes, and running barefoot. So, should you dip your toes into the barefoot running trend? Read on to find out the pros and cons of running like your ancestors.
The pros
When correctly done, running in a minimalist shoe can decrease the risk of injury. During their tests, half of the participants switched running styles when they went barefoot or wore Vibrams. They landed more lightly and on the balls of their feet (forefront style), instead of on their heels (rear-strike style) like they did when wearing the neutral shoes. This decreased their risk of injury by upping plantar flexion, or downward flexing of the front of the foot toward the sole. All Vibram wearers, regardless of running style, also lowered knee flexion — another way to reduce risk of injury.
The cons
As much as minimal or barefoot running can help decrease injury, it can be hard to jump right into. Although the runners tested had two weeks to run in their Vibrams before test day to get comfortable with them, half still maintained their rear-strike running style while running barefoot or in the Vibrams, leading to higher loading rates when they ran (which can mean more stress on the body overall). And the runners also pronated more in their Vibrams, which can also lead to a higher risk of overuse injuries.
Bottom line
When used correctly, barefoot running shoes may be able to lower your risk of running injury, but it takes time to untrain your feet from all those years of sporting running shoes. Ready to start? The ACE recommends walking in your barefoot running shoes for a bit before you start running, and start out slow — run in them only for about 25 percent of your normal mileage routine until you've fully adapted to them. And if you have any issues like plantar fasciitis or high arches, check with your doctor before you hit the shoe store.
At Downtown Health & Wellness, not only do we have the best urgent care center in town, we also have a podiatrist in-house, ready to see you at a specialist consultation. Dr. Dennis Timko of Arch City Foot & Ankle is very well-acquainted with all foot injuries and problems and is keen to get you back on your feet as soon as is safely possible.
916 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63101 | 314.436.9300 | DowntownUrgentCareSTL.com
623 West 5th Street, Eureka, MO 63025 | 636.549.2100 | EurekaUrgentCare.com
Disclaimer
This blog is for general discussion, education, entertainment and amusement. Nothing written here constitutes medical advice nor are any hypothetical cases discussed intended to be construed as medical advice. Please do not contact me with specific medical questions or concerns. All clinical cases on this blog are presented for educational or general interest purposes and every attempt has been made to ensure that patient confidentiality and HIPAA are respected. All cases are fictionalized, either in part or in whole, depending on how much I needed to embellish to make it a good story to protect patient privacy.
All Content is Copyright of the author, and reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Posted by Sonny Saggar on Sat, Apr 07, 2012 @ 11:30 PM
Urgent Matters THE blog for 'The Non-Emergency Room'.
BREAKING NEWS! This year something was noticed by an HR Director who was thinking outside the box. Such an amazing discovery that will save gazillions of dollars for medium and large companies all over America. We want to bring this to the attention of as many employers as possible, because it's a travesty that they're wasting money and, as a result, having to lay off workers, make budget cuts elsewhere and possibly even shutting their doors!
What was this miracle realization?
Companies that pay for health insurance for their employees should know that these insurance policies also include preventative care, that is, FLU SHOTS! Without this awareness, companies are paying thousands of dollars to flu shot vendors, such as the Visiting Nurse Association, MediNurse and other such outfits, when they really should be paying nothing extra - the employer is already paying to cover the employee's flu shots. The same thing applies for the employees, who've already paid their monthly premiums. There's no need to go to Walgreens and pay $30 for a flu shot. There's no need to hire a traditional flu shot vendor to come to your company and pay them $X per shot.
Some flu shot vendors, such as FluShotsEtc.com will hold flu shot clinics at your company's location (or at certain affiliated clinics if preferred, such as Downtown Urgent Care and Eureka Urgent Care), but instead of billing the employer, they'll process the claim directly to the insurance company. In the unlikely event the insurance carrier refuses to pay for the flu vaccine, FluShotsEtc.com pledges to bill the company lower than any of the competition.
Unlike the old-fashioned flu shot vendors, FluShotsEtc.com is run by physicians, nurse practitioners and registered nurses. The staff who hold the flu shot clinic at your location are experienced professionals who can answer most questions as well as deal with rare problems such as allergic reactions.
If your company is wasting thousands on a flu shot provider when both employer and employee have ALREADY PAID that insurance company for flu shots, then please bring this to the attention of your HR Director or CEO immediately. Contact us and we'll open your eyes to this travesty in corporate healthcare expense. You may well have saved a small annual fortune for your company by communicating this to your leadership!
916 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63101 | 314.436.9300 | DowntownUrgentCareSTL.com
623 West 5th Street, Eureka, MO 63025 | 636.549.2100 | EurekaUrgentCare.com
Disclaimer
This blog is for general discussion, education, entertainment and amusement. Nothing written here constitutes medical advice nor are any hypothetical cases discussed intended to be construed as medical advice. Please do not contact me with specific medical questions or concerns. All clinical cases on this blog are presented for educational or general interest purposes and every attempt has been made to ensure that patient confidentiality and HIPAA are respected. All cases are fictionalized, either in part or in whole, depending on how much I needed to embellish to make it a good story to protect patient privacy.
All Content is Copyright of the author, and reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Posted by Sonny Saggar on Fri, Mar 30, 2012 @ 09:39 AM
Urgent Matters THE blog for 'The Non-Emergency Room'.
If my car ever has a problem, I can simply text my mechanic and ask him a question and he'll get back to me really fast.
Same thing with regard to an electrician, plumber, even carpenter. We often text our babysitter when my wife and I suddenly need to get out of the house without the kids!
I'm sure most readers of this article have reached (or are soon reaching) the point where they communicate more people by text than by phone.
Why, oh why, can most people not reach their own doctor or healthcare provider (nurse practitioner, physician assistant and so on)? Even in the middle of a weekday, you'd have to call their office and wait...... and wait..... and then you'll get a Suzie Q on the phone who'll not so politely tell you how just gosh barn busy your physician is and how you need to make an appointment to "be seen" if you really need medical help.
"Okay", you say, "let's make a [bloody] appointment then!", out of frustration, given the simplicity of your question/concern. While you're wondering about the new meaning of healthcare reform, Suzie returns to the phone with "we can get you in on Monday July 2nd at Noon".
Wait a second. That's in over 3 months. "But all I want is to talk with him for maybe 5 minutes" you say. "Ma'am", says Suzie with thinly veiled frustration, "Dr. X is an extremely busy physician. We can't just get you in for a 5-minute appointment".
You're beginning to realize that you're not going to get anywhere with this discussion, so you say "OK, do you mind if I call you back after I check my calendar?", secretly planning to never ever call back.
What if you had your physician's cellphone number? What if you could text your physician a question? Even if he couldn't answer it, he might be able to point you in the right direction. Why do so many people spend thousands of dollars on so-called 'Concierge Medicine'? Isn't it so they can get personal attention from their doctor? How interesting. You have to pay extra to get genuine concern?
At Downtown Medical, all primary care internal medicine patients have Dr. Saggar's cellphone number. They can phone, text and email him whenever they like, although days are better (he likes to sleep). If you need a prescription called in, he'll take care of it as long as (1) you've been seen in the clinic in the preceding 3 months (2) it's not a controlled drug and (3) he can easily diagnose the problem. Failing those 3 preconditions, you'll need to get in and see him, or one of his wonderful, clinically astute Nurse Practitioners.
Even Downtown Urgent Care patients will be given Dr. Saggar's number, so that they can contact him about the problem they came in to see him about.
Next time you see your physician or nurse practitioner, ask him/her for their personal cell #, so that you can reach them and text them whenever you, the patient, needs help. If they give it to you, then there's a high probability that they care for your wellbeing. If they don't give it to you, then you should ask them point blank "why not?". Perhaps they have a good reason. We also recommend you ask this if any urgent care physician or emergency physician you see. It's a litmus test of something - make your own mind up.
It's only by raising awareness of this issue, that 'troublemakers' like us at Downtown Urgent Care and Downtown Medical can change the face of medicine. You should always be able to ContactADoc....
And please remember: DON'T TEXT AND DRIVE!
916 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63101 | 314.436.9300 | DowntownUrgentCareSTL.com
623 West 5th Street, Eureka, MO 63025 | 636.549.2100 | EurekaUrgentCare.com
Disclaimer
This blog is for general discussion, education, entertainment and amusement. Nothing written here constitutes medical advice nor are any hypothetical cases discussed intended to be construed as medical advice. Please do not contact me with specific medical questions or concerns. All clinical cases on this blog are presented for educational or general interest purposes and every attempt has been made to ensure that patient confidentiality and HIPAA are respected. All cases are fictionalized, either in part or in whole, depending on how much I needed to embellish to make it a good story to protect patient privacy.
All Content is Copyright of the author, and reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Posted by Sonny Saggar on Fri, Mar 09, 2012 @ 10:21 AM
Urgent Matters THE blog for 'The Non-Emergency Room'.
What's so special about March 16th?
Here are a few things:
1. Apple will be releasing the iPad 3 in 2012
2. Downtown Urgent Care celebrates its 3rd birthday (we opened 3/16/2009)
3. There's a BLOCK PARTY in Downtown St. Louis in 2012
4. London's Scotland Yard celebrates its 182nd birthday
5. West Point celebrates its 210th birthday
6. Barnum & Bailey Circus celebrates its 131st birthday
Wait a second, what's that about a block party? Yep, Downtown Urgent Care is a 3-year old toddler and we've invited all our friends to join us for a huge play date on our block!
There's gonna be sheet cakes (thanks to Culinaria) and ice-cream, balloons and a band. Every single business from the block will be out in force (since the street will be closed) showing what they can do for you. There will be prizes and giveaways, competitions and more.
Free massages, free back-rubs, free fasting lipid panels, free stuff from the opticians, the dentist, the banks and lots of other things. You can call it a networking event, a young professionals cocktail party, the first annual 'Healthy Wealthy Block' giving back event, or just an excuse to get some free delicious cake.There'll be a fire truck and ambulance rig. Apparently we'll have a fire-eater and all sorts of street things going on! Grown-ups and kids, all welcome.
At Downtown Urgent Care, we're just seeing it as our 3rd birthday party with all our friends in the neighborhoos. Isn't this so nice of them to throw this party for us?
Save the date: THIS FRIDAY 3/16/12 from 10am, and come see what's so special and wonderful about a tiny little block in Downtown St. Louis. We've got so much going on here - you'll be amazed at the power of belief by a handful of people who know they've got something great and they want to share. Come and celebrate the start of spring with the fun, smart, ambitious and beautiful people of Downtown St. Louis!
916 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63101 | 314.436.9300 | DowntownUrgentCareSTL.com
623 West 5th Street, Eureka, MO 63025 | 636.549.2100 | EurekaUrgentCare.com
Disclaimer
This blog is for general discussion, education, entertainment and amusement. Nothing written here constitutes medical advice nor are any hypothetical cases discussed intended to be construed as medical advice. Please do not contact me with specific medical questions or concerns. All clinical cases on this blog are presented for educational or general interest purposes and every attempt has been made to ensure that patient confidentiality and HIPAA are respected. All cases are fictionalized, either in part or in whole, depending on how much I needed to embellish to make it a good story to protect patient privacy.
All Content is Copyright of the author, and reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Posted by Lindsay Suk on Sun, Feb 26, 2012 @ 12:00 PM
Urgent Matters THE blog for 'The Non-Emergency Room'.
We're all about saying "THANKS!" at Eureka Urgent Care this month!
We'd like to start by extending a sincere thank you to a couple of area businesses.
First, Marymount Manor Nursing Center, for their kind and welcoming attitude! Just last week our own Dr. Suk was asked to speak at Marymount's bi-weekly employee meeting. This gave Dr. Suk the chance to host a little Q&A session with nearly 50 staff members and administrators.
And, we can't forget to mention the great folks over at Hidden Valley Ski Resort and their continued support! We hear of so many positive referrals from patients they've sent our way. Thanks so much!!!
While we're showing our appreciation, we also want to thank all of our wonderful friends, neighbors and patients. You've come to visit us not just from Eureka, but from Pacific, Catawissa, House Springs, High Ridge and Fenton just to name a few!
We've been going through some changes and improvements lately at Eureka Urgent Care, so this week we would like to give a warm welcome our newest employees, Abby and Chelsea! These ladies come to us with years of experience between them and we couldn't be more excited to have them on our team. Combined with our already phenomenal existing staff, you're bound to receive the best care possible when you visit the EUC. Make sure to stop by and say hello to all of the girls soon!
--
Eureka Urgent Care is proud to be the only non-emergency medical facility in the region that's open as late as 10pm on weekends, and until 9pm on weekedays - that's later than any other place, 7 days a week! And it's not only about convenient office hours - judging from our Google and Yelp reviews, our patients conclude that we're actually pretty great at what we do too!
916 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63101 | 314.436.9300 | DowntownUrgentCareSTL.com
623 West 5th Street, Eureka, MO 63025 | 636.549.2100 | EurekaUrgentCare.com
Disclaimer
This blog is for general discussion, education, entertainment and amusement. Nothing written here constitutes medical advice nor are any hypothetical cases discussed intended to be construed as medical advice. Please do not contact me with specific medical questions or concerns. All clinical cases on this blog are presented for educational or general interest purposes and every attempt has been made to ensure that patient confidentiality and HIPAA are respected. All cases are fictionalized, either in part or in whole, depending on how much I needed to embellish to make it a good story to protect patient privacy.
All Content is Copyright of the author, and reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Posted by Mark Holland on Sun, Feb 26, 2012 @ 11:35 AM
Urgent Matters THE blog for 'The Non-Emergency Room'.
Hello! My name is Dr. Mark Holland. I am a Chiropractor and I am very excited to expand our family of offices to better serve the Downtown and Metro St. Louis community. We offe
r fast, affordable and effective pain relief by using chiropractic, therapy and rehab. We have helped thousands of patients at our St. Charles and Wildwood offices with back pain, neck pain, headaches, auto injuries, work injuries, shoulder problems and knee issues. In addition, we offer community outreach for no charge in the form of employee appreciation massage days and health and safety presentations that are both helpful and informative for employers and employees alike. Please call 314-588-9100 for a complimentary examination, X-rays (if necessary), therapy and water massage. Check us out online at:
www.accidentpainreliefstlouis.com916 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63101 | 314.436.9300 | DowntownUrgentCareSTL.com
623 West 5th Street, Eureka, MO 63025 | 636.549.2100 | EurekaUrgentCare.com
Disclaimer
This blog is for general discussion, education, entertainment and amusement. Nothing written here constitutes medical advice nor are any hypothetical cases discussed intended to be construed as medical advice. Please do not contact me with specific medical questions or concerns. All clinical cases on this blog are presented for educational or general interest purposes and every attempt has been made to ensure that patient confidentiality and HIPAA are respected. All cases are fictionalized, either in part or in whole, depending on how much I needed to embellish to make it a good story to protect patient privacy.
All Content is Copyright of the author, and reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Posted by Sonny Saggar on Tue, Feb 21, 2012 @ 04:19 PM
Urgent Matters THE blog for 'The Non-Emergency Room'.
Have you ever tried to make an appointment with a doctor (family physician, OBGYN, internist) and been told that you can't get seen for a couple of months?
Did you notice what time you were actually seen by the doctor when you had an 11am appointment? Was it more like 1230pm?
Not that you ever went to an ER with a non-emergency problem, but if you did, can you remember how many hours you had to wait?
I'm just sayin', but is it possible that most physicians never got the memo about customer service, patient 
satisfaction and that kind of thing?
Can you get online and preregister seeing your physician, just like you were at ticketmaster.com or travelocity.com? Would it make life easier if you could do that? Hey, what if they put that dreaded clipboard online so you could fill out all that boring stuff in the comfort of your living room or office, and take as long as you like about it?
Instead of just an email confirmation that you booked your appointment, what if someone (a real live person) actually called you back as well, say within half an hour to say they got your registration and suggested a good time to walk on in?
What about that clipboard? Don't you just hate that long list of things you've got to check off in that waiting room before you're even allowed to tell anyone what the problem is today? And they always seem to want you to pick up a pen fill out your insurance card information (even though you could swear they got that the last time you went in), so you can add 'writer's cramp' to your symptoms that made you go there in the first place?
How long does your physician actually sit down with you (assuming he/she actually sits down) to really look into your eyes and find out what the problem might be? 60 seconds? 2 minutes? 10 minutes?
Does your physician summarize the diagnosis and plan and then ask if you understood it all and whether you have any questions? Does the nurse or staff-member who discharges you ask whether it's all clear?
Do they electronically transmit your medication to your pharmacy of choice, or do they still live in the 20th century and insist on those 'security prescription pads'?
What happens when you finish talking with someone who's contracted to give you a service, such as a plumber, lawyer or accountant? That's right - they give you their business card. They may even ask you to call them if you have any questions about something. Why should physicians be any different? I mean, we're talking about your health, and we all forget to ask half a dozen questions when we're right there in the exam room talking to the doctor. I know - what if he gave you his business card and asked you to text, call or email him if you had any more questions, or if you weren't getting better within 48 hours? Fantasy world, I hear you say......not quite. Do you have your doctor's cellphone? His real actual cellphone number? No, I'm not joking: do ya? Do you think you should have it, just in case you really need to call him?
Does your doctor's office call you (and I'm not just talking about the doc himself - even his staff) a day or so after your visit and ask how you're doing? Would you like that?If it ever happened, what would it say about your physician and his/her staff?
- - - -
All the above comments and rhetorical questions are examples of the many brainstorming issues we discuss at St. Louis Urgent Cares (Downtown and Eureka) every single day. Downtown Medical Internal Medicine too!
Perhaps it's time you stopped surrendering to the unfortunate fact that "doctors just don't get it" and tried us out for size. We have a feeling you'll have one of those 'aha moments' when you see how we do things differently.
When they played that snippet on KSDK and ABC the other day, they found out about our cunning marketing ploy. Shhhhh, it's a secret. OK fine, here it is: we're great because we care.
916 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63101 | 314.436.9300 | DowntownUrgentCareSTL.com
623 West 5th Street, Eureka, MO 63025 | 636.549.2100 | EurekaUrgentCare.com
Disclaimer
This blog is for general discussion, education, entertainment and amusement. Nothing written here constitutes medical advice nor are any hypothetical cases discussed intended to be construed as medical advice. Please do not contact me with specific medical questions or concerns. All clinical cases on this blog are presented for educational or general interest purposes and every attempt has been made to ensure that patient confidentiality and HIPAA are respected. All cases are fictionalized, either in part or in whole, depending on how much I needed to embellish to make it a good story to protect patient privacy.
All Content is Copyright of the author, and reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Posted by Sonny Saggar on Sun, Jan 22, 2012 @ 01:49 PM
Urgent Matters THE blog for 'The Non-Emergency Room'.
OK this is another blant (blog-rant, my most recent neologism). Although I'm an entrepreneur, I'm still a physician and I as an internist, urgent care physician and al
so an emergency physician. I've been working ER since 1995, when I first worked in the beloved A&E (Accident and Emergency) Department in Stoke Mandeville in England. I wonder how they're doing...
Anyway, nostalgia aside, this post is all about what should be seen at an ER and what shouldn't. Why is this important? I'll tell you why. You may recall about 10 years ago there was this thing called 'ER Overcrowding', when all the ERs were at full capacity, when ambulances had to park in the shoulder of highways because they couldn't find an ER that had a room for their patient, because so many ERs were on diversion. As a result of that, a lot of tax-collected funding (federal, state and city) has been diverted to hospital systems that bemoan their overcrowding issues. This continues now, although the overc
rowding isn't a problem any more. Another solution was the advent of urgent care centers and retail clinics, which cater to the 85% of present-day ER cases that are not actually emergencies.
So now there's a bit of a revenue challenge. How can these privately owned hospital systems get more people to come to their facility (to their ER) rather than to the competition's (neither system having overcrowding problems any more)? In all this frenzy of competitive marketing, many have lost sight of what the 'E' in ER actually stands for. Many have forgotten that the 911 service, which is to be used for getting people quickly to ERs is not supposed to service departments that are profiteering because they offer some special promotions.
The latest promotion? Some hospital executives have decided, in their infinite wisdom, that if someone with an EMERGENCY needs to visit the EMERGENCY room, should first get online and get in quicker (yes, there's a company called InQuicker.com that does just that for the hospital that participates in this oxymoronic 'solution'), instead of calling 911.
It seems to me that if someone says they have chest pain or can't breathe or stroke-like symptoms, the online form should stop them and say "stop what you're doing and call 911 you idiot".
Similarly, if someone says they have a sore throat, or a cough or burning with urination or a small cut or a possibly broken foot, the online form should stop them and say "stop what you're doing and go see your primary care doctor or visit and urgent care or Walgreens clinic you idiot".
There you go, I've got it: hospitals should continue using InQuicker.com to verbally abuse patients who decide to use it for an ER visit. Perfect. What a great service to the community that would be. I take it all back, don't fire InQuicker.com - let's use it in every ER in the country! 
Seriously though, do you really want to take your husband in for a possible heart attack only to find that the ER doctor and nurse are busy rushing to the bedside of someone who has registered online via InQuicker.com to attend to his sore throat? Do you think it's socially responsible for people to use the ER for non-emergency conditions? We have many other places for that. In England, where taxpayers pay for medical care, us Emergency physicians were very comfortable with metaphorically throwing people out of the department because they came in with stuff which was inappropriate, e.g. foot pain for 3 years, migraine headaches, sore throats, sinusitis, bladder infections and all sorts of other NON-emergencies. It was considered a very antisocial thing to do if you went to the EMERGENCY department with something that quite obviously shouldn't be taking emergency staff away from the critical patients.
People, on behalf of all emergency physicians, nurses, techs and secretaries, as well as on behalf of all emergency patients and their families, please stop using the ER if you don't have an emergency. Don't you dare go online to register to be a patient in the ER, unless you want the unspoken wrath of the staff, not to mention other patients in the waiting room who just rushed in for their problem (appropriately) rather than logging on to the internet first and getting a 'guarantee' that they'll be seen ahead of everyone else. If you have time to do that, please go to a Walgreens/CVS or urgent care, assuming you can't see your primary care or family physician first.
916 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63101 | 314.436.9300 | DowntownUrgentCareSTL.com
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Disclaimer
This blog is for general discussion, education, entertainment and amusement. Nothing written here constitutes medical advice nor are any hypothetical cases discussed intended to be construed as medical advice. Please do not contact me with specific medical questions or concerns. All clinical cases on this blog are presented for educational or general interest purposes and every attempt has been made to ensure that patient confidentiality and HIPAA are respected. All cases are fictionalized, either in part or in whole, depending on how much I needed to embellish to make it a good story to protect patient privacy.
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