Hospital in Rolla, Missouri? (places, about, important)

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Cali BassMan

what should be important for a rural hospital, is to know quickly that they can't handle it, and have air medivac available to transfer the patient to a hospital that can handle the problem.

We're very rural here. The closest hospital, Skaggs Regional Medical Center, is 21 miles away and serves a large area. We also have Air Evac and our little community has a designated and lighted helicopter landing pad just down the street from us.

Being rural doesn't necessarily mean being at risk! Wew certainly checked on availability of up-to-date medical care before we moved here.

Not gettin' any younger, dontcha know! But gotta last long enough to personally welcome you to the area in under 1,700 days, but don't dawdle or I'll send OB-wan after ya..

[ShadowCaver]

MOD NOTE: TO KEEP THIS THREAD OPEN, KEEP THE POSTS HERE [and of course elsewhere] LESS OPINIONS AND MORE FACTUAL. THANK YOU.

[pixietob]

Originally Posted by Cali BassMan

what should be important for a rural hospital, is to know quickly that they can't handle it, and have air medivac available to transfer the patient to a hospital that can handle the problem.

Which is EXACTLY what Phelps doesn't know how to do. They'll keep a cardiac patient (and others) in their facility long enough for further damage to be done (and for them to get a day's worth of insurance pay), THEN transfer them to another facility. I've see this happen all too often. Then they RARELY use air EMS as transport, since they have their own ground service (more money for them). I have taken patients off the table from their cath lab to another facility, AFTER they are cath'd, who are having an obvious ACTIVE heart attack that can be seen on the cardiac monitor. It takes no genius to figure out just by looking at the monitor and labs that they need INTERVENTIONAL cardiology, yet they still convince these people & their families that they can somehow help them by cathing them there.

[zarabeth]

Well, seems there are differing thoughts on how the care is...which I appreciate reading, as it gives me at least some points of view to investigate...I'm a little confused on the cardiac issues, as their website states they can insert stents and pacemakers...pixietob, you sound like a tech of some sort

Wondering if they cath/stent/pacemaker a patient, to get them stable enough for transport to a more advanced facility? Trauma ratings go from Level 1 to Level 4, that much I know....pixiebob, any idea what their rating is now? Wouldn't expect them to be a Level One in such a rural setting.... continued thanks, everyone, for the imput...

[pixietob]

I am a non-affiliated paramedic. Like most facilities, they exaggerate on their website. They also try to recruit nurses with the motto "our nurses have a voice." From what I've heard, only if that voice is saying "ok" or "yes higher-seniority person."
Several years ago (almost 10 or so), they had a Level 3 trauma rating. They lost that within the last 5 years or so, because they didn't have the correct services available. They currently have no "official" trauma rating.
Ok I'll give them credit- they DO have a lock-down psych unit.. and a floor pretty much designated for end-of-life stuff. But, if you are admitted with something they haven't figured out PRIOR to admission, RUN! I've even seen a patient who the doc documented "strongly believe this is lung cancer," but continued telling the staff that the patient was showing signs of TB. They put the patient in full isolation, made her believe she had TB... and just put her prior roomate in a room with another patient (mid-stay they decided to go with isolation). What about the roomate if this HAD been TB?! How many potential exposures were there?!
Some of the stuff they do is just plain ignorant. I'm not saying EVERYONE there is retarded, but they lack a lot. When they have an ER doc who asks the paramedic what Narcan is after the paramedic reports they gave the drug to a patient, I see a problem. JMO

[Cali BassMan]

Nothing to do with Rolla,(Raww-la) but my cousin was admitted to the Hospital in West Plains, it didin't take them long to fly him to Springfield. Today he says he isn't impressed with the West Plains Hospital, I said to him " at least they knew they couldn't handle it" and you got a helicopter ride too......

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Cali BassMan

Nothing to do with Rolla,(Raww-la) but my cousin was admitted to the Hospital in West Plains, it didin't take them long to fly him to Springfield. Today he says he isn't impressed with the West Plains Hospital, I said to him " at least they knew they couldn't handle it" and you got a helicopter ride too......

That's worthy of an E-Ticket, isn't it?

[Cali BassMan]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

That's worthy of an E-Ticket, isn't it?

Hey Curm,
Don't know if they offer it in the Blue Eye area, but my cousin pays the copter company something like $50.00 a year for thier services in an emergency...

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Cali BassMan

Hey Curm,
Don't know if they offer it in the Blue Eye area, but my cousin pays the copter company something like $50.00 a year for thier services in an emergency...

Thanks! They probably do but our insurance will cover med-evac if we need it.

[pixietob]

Originally Posted by Cali BassMan

Hey Curm,
Don't know if they offer it in the Blue Eye area, but my cousin pays the copter company something like $50.00 a year for thier services in an emergency...

If you're talking about AirEvac, their membership is sometimes misleading if you don't read the fine print. I have nothing against them, nor am I trying to put down their meberships because I feel it's a good service to have, but let me clarify in case you or your family isn't aware. Their membership is not an insurance, and they state that clearly. Just because you need emergeny transport doesn't mean you can just call them and fly to wherever (which is where some people start getting confused). Also, in order for this to cover the flight, the flight has to be deemed "medically necessary" by your insurance and/or a physician. For example, you live a few minutes from OMC, you call an ambulance (or AirEvac directly) because you are nauseated, tell the crew "I have AirEvac insurance & want to fly to Springfield," then are transported as per your wishes. You're probably going to get a pretty large bill from AirEvac, since your symptoms could have been treated at OMC, and a ground ambulance would have been sufficient. Example #2: You call an ambulance for chest pains and have a cardiac history. If the local facility is not capable of appropriately treating cardiac patients, the crew should call for a helicopter (and definately will if told "I have the AirEvac insurance"). THIS is a medical necessity for air transport, as time is of the essence, and will be covered in their membership.
I am not affiliated with AirEvac, but as of a year or so ago, this is how their membership was explained to me. Their memberships are definately a plus if you have any sort of medical condition warrenting air transportation to a higher level of care facility. Just wanted to clarify some things.