Re: Crowded EDs lead to longer wait times, delays in care Originally Posted by dcampbell 
If only I had a nickle for everytime a doctor's office or their recording told the patient to go the ER. I had a GYN problem and actually got to talk to the doctor who told me to go to the ER because he could not get me in for four days.
What about educating the PCP's offices about proper use of the ER?
About 8 years ago, I fell down some stairs and sprained my left foot badly. It was after 5, so I waited until the next morning to call my PCP. She told me to go to the ER for an x-ray. I was very surprised that they didn't do them in the office.
When I was an ED volunteer, I encountered quit a few patients who came in for x-rays, MRIs, and CT scans. Why don't their PCPs send them to imaging centers or outpatient clinics?
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