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Old 04-09-2009, 08:23 AM
 
635 posts, read 1,613,789 times
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Duke has urgent cares where we go when we need to be seen quickly (ie. regular doctor or pediatrician has no openings or it's on the weekend). They are open 8am to 8pm every day of the year. There is usually a wait, but rarely longer than 90 minutes or so and sometimes as short as 30 min if you hit at a good time. They can handle many types of issues and would be a much better option during their operating hours than an ER if it's not a true life/death kind of emergency.

My only local (and hopefully last!) ER experience was at Duke with my child for croup. We got there at midnight and she was seen within about 45 min.
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Old 04-09-2009, 08:55 AM
 
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I cannot speak to Wake Med specifically, but Federal Law mandates that most (not all) ER's must treat patients with emergencies regardless of their ability to pay -and is a large reason why ER's are so over-crowded. With more and more folks uninsured or under-insured (everywhere, including the Triangle), chronic conditions become emergencies and folks go to the ER. That in addition to so many non emergency patient's showing up for care.

Urgent Care facilities (created to help with the above problem) rather than ER's are a good choice for those who are insured but can't get in to see their primary care physician-though I am sure they too are pretty busy.
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Old 04-09-2009, 08:57 AM
 
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We have been there for a life threatening emergency and were impressed. Maybe not the best place to go for a non-emergency,
thus the name... EMERGENCY ROOM.
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Old 04-09-2009, 09:21 AM
 
Location: Zebulon, NC
2,275 posts, read 6,296,697 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kelly237 View Post
Maybe not the best place to go for a non-emergency, thus the name... EMERGENCY ROOM.
So true. A lot of people seem to have forgotten what the E stands for in ER.

I understand that there's a problem with under/noninsured people getting treatment. It's a national problem that really needs to be addressed. However, if someone is going to use the emergency room for a non-emergency, they should not complain about a wait. This is not a physician's office, and non-emergencies are low priorities.

FWIW, I had to see a doctor Tuesday. I have shingles, and I knew I needed to see someone that day. (It's vital to start taking anti-virals ASAP with shingles.) I also didn't have a GP yet (my previous one sold his practice). I called my husband's GP, told them I was a new patient, and needed to make an appointment. I explained that I suspected I had shingles, so I asked if they could work me in that day. They had no problem doing so.

If it's important that you be seen that day, yet not an actual emergency, it's best to ask to be worked in. I've never encountered a doctor's office that didn't have a procedure for this. You might see a nurse practitioner or physician's assistant instead, but sometimes (as in my case) that's all you need.
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Old 04-09-2009, 09:38 AM
 
Location: Melbourne, FL
1,007 posts, read 5,654,430 times
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Although I agree as Claire F said, I also had another issue that I needed to be seen that day at a Dr.s Office. Had blood poisioning (another story). I called my GP and they wouldn't take me in that day or until later during the week. I asked why they couldn't do this.. answer... we are booked. That was pretty poor service and thought.. no wonder the ERs are full. They recommended I go to the ER. I didn't go to the ER and went to an Urgent Care facility instead.
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Old 04-09-2009, 09:42 AM
 
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I agree that the ER has a lot of non-emergency cases, but I don't think the problem is that people have ignored that it's for actual emergencies or "forgotten what the E stands for," but that there's nowhere else to go for the uninsured/underinsured to receive medical care without having to pay out of pocket at that time, which most of them can't afford to do. You can't really fault them for that, the problem lies in our healthcare system. I believe that healthcare is a right for everyone and hope to see changes in the system to correct problems such as this one. Only then will we see more efficiency in the ER's.
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Old 04-09-2009, 09:44 AM
 
Location: Zebulon, NC
2,275 posts, read 6,296,697 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Janecj View Post
Although I agree as Claire F said, I also had another issue that I needed to be seen that day at a Dr.s Office. Had blood poisioning (another story). I called my GP and they wouldn't take me in that day or until later during the week. I asked why they couldn't do this.. answer... we are booked. That was pretty poor service and thought.. no wonder the ERs are full. They recommended I go to the ER. I didn't go to the ER and went to an Urgent Care facility instead.
Wow. I think I'd consider finding another GP - not only for refusing to work you in, but for suggesting the ER instead of Urgent Care.

It might be a good idea if anyone ever has to find a new GP to ask their policy on same-day visits. I mean, if someone had strep throat, it would be dangerous to wait a week to see a doctor, yet it's not at all an emergency.
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Old 04-09-2009, 11:03 AM
 
150 posts, read 506,037 times
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The problem for so many Physician's is that they are completely overbooked and that enables them to pay their bills. There are just so many patient's that they can see during a day. This area is not immune to this. I think as another poster stated, this is a much bigger issue (a national issue in healthcare). The physician's office may know that the patient has a serious condition and isn't refusing service to them because they don't want to fit them in, but possibly cannot fit them in (because they are so overbooked). When my physician (of 22 years) passed away, I had a hard time finding a private practice Physician in my old home town (that was well liked and known), so I found one within a larger practice/clinic that came highly recommended. I didn't like this as much because they no longer "fit me in" but asked me to go to Urgent Care if they were fully booked. Luckily it was in the same building, and was staffed by the the same Physician's every time, with my GP rotating in 1 day a week.

Again-I think Urgent Care facilities are your best bet, or another physician within the same healthcare system you are part of.

All I saw in the OP was that they had to see a Doctor quickly. Perhaps it was an emergency?
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Old 04-09-2009, 11:57 AM
 
6,297 posts, read 16,065,447 times
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Whenever I've gone to the hospital or brought someone else, we get immediate service. I don't go unless it is an emergency. So I don't know how my experiences will compare with yours.

I've been very happy with Rex. I have been not the least bit happy with Raleigh Duke Hospital. I went in there once, and all the lights were off in the waiting room; I don't know why. Another time, when I had a kidney stone attack, I had to beg for pain medication, and they stuck me and THEN asked about allergies. (Not good.)

The longest (at Rex) I've waited was an hour when my son had an appendix attack and needed emergency surgery. He'd had that pain for many hours (he went to school with it), and the pain was progessively worse, and I was afraid he'd expire before they got to him. But he came out of it fine.

I went to WakeMed Children's ER for my grandson when he broke his leg, and it was beautiful. It's great they have a separate ER for kids; it's big, airy, nice, and has TVs with children's programming. It was empty when we went. I'd go there again if the patient was a child.

But my first choice for adults is Rex.
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Old 04-09-2009, 12:38 PM
 
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My MD. North Raleigh Medical Center, combines family practice with urgent care.

You can always be seen.
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