“The immediate goal is to make sure there are more people on private insurance plans. I mean, people have access to health care in America. After all, you just go to an emergency room.”
This brilliant quote comes from our president in a July 2007 speech in Clevland. Now, with this in mind consider what has been widely reported in the press that ER waiting times have increased by 36 percent for all patients, to an average of 30 minutes per patient. And the sickest sometimes have to wait the longest: As many as one-quarter of all heart attack patients had to wait 50 minutes or longer before seeing a doctor.
Frightening, isn't it? And it isn't likely going to get better quickly until people stop using the ER as their primary care clinic.
This is one time I'm particularly happy to be with Kaiser. Not only do we have a PCP (primary care physician) but there is urgent care clinics that keep you out of ER and incredibly good triage in the ER that sends non emergency patients to the correct clinic for their needs. There are only rare walk ins of people not insured and they too are then appropriately triaged, a cold isn't seen in the ER. I've been to the ER a few times and each time was into a room and seen within minutes.
So, next time people complain about Kaiser (and they are usually non members) I will smugly remember that in case of emergency I don't have to wait as a Mother is seen with her child suffering from a crusty rash and a snotty nose.
1 comment:
Remember when you stabbed a knife through your palm and the ER doctor said, "oh... it's not that bad, right?" and then you squirted blood on him. Haha.
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