A trip to emerg
We had a minor scare last night...
We got a call last night around 8:30 p.m. It was an Ottawa number. And it wasn't my brother's. Uh oh. I answered the phone and it was the vicar's wife calling to tell me that Alli had hurt herself and needed to go to the hospital for an x-ray. The vicar called back around 11 pm last night and she's ok, it is just a sprain and a minor one at that. She needs to keep her ankle iced and elevated as much as possible.
Unfortunately, it means that she is going to miss the prayer walk around Parliament Hill today. Bummer.
What I can't get over is that they made it in and out of emerg in under 2 and a half hours. That is unheard of around here! When Kirk had salmonella last year we were in the hospital for over eight hours. We never used to have to wait that long, but the last 10-15 years or so wait times have gotten ridiculous. Our area is considered "medically underserviced" - ie. there aren't enough doctors to go around. I guess they have more in Ottawa or something. Either that, or they get preferential treatment 'cause it's the capital city or something. Perhaps they pay more taxes...
13 comments:
bummer! poor Alli, I bet she's disappointed.
Oh no! Well, thank the Lord it wasn't worse.
About that ER time, I know what you mean. It's the same around here. In fact, it has been a stir of controversy for some time. It's just ridiculous to have as many on staff and not be seen by a dr. sooner, if seen by a dr. at all. It's mostly P.A's. Not that I am complaining, but hey, come on, you know how much it cost to go there!
What is PA's? Like interns? If you go to the emergency room, do you have to pay them right then and there or do they send you a bill?
I am so glad that she is OK. We spent the night on Friday in the ER with PJ. He fell off the monkey bars and broke his arm. We spent about 4.5 hours there and were seen by a PA the whole time. We recieved good care though. Hope she gets well soon!
PA'a are physicians assistance, not as much schooling as real MD's but most are great. We do not pay as we have free care with the military. Hope that helps.
Payment usually depends on insurance. I show my insurance card, they submit the claim, and I get something in the mail saying whether or not the insurance company has agreed to pay for the visit. Usually, there is a "co-pay" which is a relatively small amount required of the insured. If I am uninsured, there are other options, such as medicaid. Worst case scenario: you get a (large) bill in the mail. As far as I know, no one is turned away because of an inability to pay.
I thank God that Alli is ok.
I'm glad she didn't break it, however, I know how bad a sprain can feel.
Erika, is right. P.A.'s are Physicians Assistants.
I file insurance and pay the co-pay, on the rare occassion I have to go to ER, and then the BIG balance due bill comes in the mail, like Sara said.
I don't think anyone is turned away for inability to pay either, thus the large bill for everyone else.
This has actually been documented (patients w/insurance and those without)and the amount charged to those with.
Oh what a bummer! I'm so glad that it wasn't worse, though. Hopefully she will be back on her feet soon. :)
A trip to the ER is a nightmare around us, too. They were building houses too fast for the hospital to be able to keep up with the rapidly growing population. The hardest hit was the ER and the Labor and Delivery ward.
Hope that she heals quickly and isn't in too much pain! Poor dear!!
Take care!
Lisa
How does the payment thing work in Canada? Just curious...
and yeah, ERs are something I avoid unless it's absolutely an emergency that can't be handled any other way.
There was a lady who DIED while waiting in the ER somehwere in the US recently. Her friends and family were begging for someone to care for her - they even called 911! The 911 operator said they couldn't do anything since they were already in an ER. She was only about my age - mid 40's I think. She had a lacerated bowel. She could have been saved if someone would have just acted! I think they said they'd waited for over 8 hours and had been pleading for help for the last hour or two before she died.
I wonder how the ER staff is sleeping at night now...
And I'm so glad your daughter's situation wasn't too serious AND that she got prompt treatment!
Oh, one more thing. I have been treated by Physicians Assistants on occassion, in the 'regular' doctor's office, and I've been very pleased with their care. In my experience they usually spend more time with patients and I've felt like they had more of a desire to really get to know me and understand my individual needs.
A PA has more training than a NP - a Nurse Practitioner, who can also treat patients and prescribe meds as long as an MD over sees what they're doing.
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