Bureaucracy - A Way To Make Money?

[abminara 0]

I was in the hospital today. Just came back. Nothing serious, just pulled a muscle while at work or playing frisbee (first practice this season after the winter break) I went to the hospital. Into the emergency room. Needless to say that the hospitals' emergency parking holds only 150 cars, so we had to go to the parking across the street that does not even belong to the hospital and pay there. Then I was waiting for the receptionist lady for 5 minutes. Though, shethere was no line, she was just too busy typing something that she could not look up and give me the frm to fill in. After filling in the form I had to wait for the nurse to come (another 20 minutes) and verify my birth date. Then I had to wait for another 45 minutes till somebody came after me and asked to follow them to the deepest room in the hospital. In the very end by an extremely loud bathroom. There I was told that the nurse will be with me "shortly". So, I had a good 50 minutes of listening to the secretaries gossiping around about their intimate adventures and who was fired for what, and why is the new guy so weird. Then the nurse came. Asked me my name, checked with the sheet and left. Then came back in 30-35 minutes and told me I had to sign something. I did, then she left again and came in 30 minutes. Another signature was necessary. Then she left and said that the doctorwill be with me shortly. Well, I knew, what that meant. That meant that I had to wait for another hour. Well, I was wrong. I had to wait for an hour and 10 minutes till he came and told me what I already knew - that my pain was due to the pulled muscle - and nothing more. Not how to treat it, or what to do with the pain, or anything of that nature. He just left and asked me to stay and wait for the nurse. I had a scary look slowly rising from inside toward the outside. My smile slowly changed into a look of horror, but he did not see it (or ignored) and left. The nurse came and asked for my blood test and urine test. A BLOOD TEST FOR A PULLED MUSCLE??? WHAT THE HELL? Well, it took another 10 minutes for her to come and do the job. Then she left waiting for the results. Another 1.5 hours later she came back (they did not let me leave) I stayed in the room with a needle in my vein protected by tape. In case myblood was bad and they would have to give me some inner veinal medicine. Why? For a pulled muscle? The neele was put in badly, so I spent the 1.5 hours in extreme pain, the nurse looked too scary to take it out, she was afraid to cut the vein even more, so she told me just to be patient and wait. I did. Then she came back and said that everything is wel and I could go home. All in all that hospital stay took me 5.5 hours and about 1700$ to my insurance company. Though, all they did could have been done in less than 1 hour. In and EMERGENCY department. I hate hospitals that make money by taking people's time and income when they are supposed to help us.

[sonesay 7]

Wow 1700 dollars for 5 hours work, quick everyone lets all go be doctors and charge people an arm and a leg for removing their ear wax. Thats a bit over kill for something so simple and for it to take that long is even worse. I'm sorry you had that bad experience I myself hate hospitals too but fortunately where I live its not as bad as you describe. I do not know why its so bad over where you are maybe they just don't give a damn and only care about making money for the hospital. Its sad when hospitals meant to be a place to help people only add to their suffering.Stay well and avoid going to the hospital if you can, same thing for your teeth keep them clean then you wont need to get costly treatment from the dentist.

[sheepdog 10]

Good Grief....What an ordeal for a pulled muscle! The only good news here is you did have insurance. Now, for us poor folks, have you ever heard of DMSO? It's a great horse liniment, cheap, available for $6-7 at the local feed store. A bottle lasts forever. I've been using the same bottle for over 15 years. That would of fixed you right up for about a nickle! But if things are really bad, I do see a chriopractor. Our local bone cracker charges $20 for an adjustment.