How to Stop the Bleeding

Emergency-room health care is in a state of emergency. What the best minds in the medical community prescribe to begin to treat the crisis.

By Arian Campo-Flores | Newsweek Web Exclusive

May 8, 2007

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Posted By: deec @ 11/03/2007 1:58:14 AM

Comment: I had the ignominous pleasure of working (briefly) in the ER, and can honestly say that 90% of people that use the ER should be seeing their Primary Care Physician. One pt came in because they had an earache...for a week. Another had come in by ambulance because they had fallen, the previous evening. That person had grocery shopped earlier in the day, and then came when they "thought the ER wouldn't be as busy". The best was always when we were working on a code situation in another room and the malingering pt would be complaining the whole time about our lack of attention for him or her. People like that are why our ER's are in so much trouble.
Posted By: Katybug @ 11/01/2007 1:01:16 PM

Comment: I am a 66 year old woman. In July I went to the emergency room for the first time in many years. I was having chest pains and was checked out for a heart attack. The emergency room physician was wonderful. She listened intently to what I had to say. Here is my story:

I went to my primary care physician in 2000 for my yearly physical. I was in good health. My weight was the best in years at around 140. I am 5'6". I had been taking .10 Levoxyl for 25 years. They told me my thyroid was low so they had to cut my medication down to .075. I asked why they were cutting it and they told me that was what they do. I told them that didn't make since but they insisted.

I changed primary physicians for my next yearly checkup. I had gained 20 pounds. I had heart pain and palpitations and my cholesterol had shot up drastically. I told this doctor I thought it was because of the cut in my thyroid medication. She said I was wrong and she cut it even more to .050.

I continued to gain weight and my cholesterol was out of control. No primary care physicians would listen.

A few weeks before my emergency room visit I happened to read an article by an endocrinologist telling about the link between under medication for thyroid and cholesterol. This wonderful emergency room physician listened and upped my medication back to .10. My chest pain lessened and I lost 5 pounds.

I just went in a couple of days ago for my yearly physical. Guess what? My new primary physician says my thyroid needs to be lowered. I asked about my cholesterol count and it had dropped 15 points since July. All the person who called me would say was that I needed to give her the name of a pharmacy so they can change my thyroid meds. I explained again about the cholesterol and she said I will tell the doctor you refuse.

Maybe people are goint to the emergency room because they receive better care there.

Has anyone else had this kind of experience?