Let the controversy begin.

[skybirdrising]

I believe that many people abuse the current health care system.

People have the notion just because they have health care insurance, medicare or medicaid that they can go to the doctor for every bruise, sniffle and cough. Many times these minor incidents are brought into ER which bottlenecks the unit preventing more serious illnesses/injuries to be treated in a timely manner. Furthermore, those who are not insured and have no means to pay the bill line up out the door as well. And to say we are not a socialist country would be farce. This has prevented proper treatment for those who need it the most and I am quite disgusted that our government creates new laws every year to cater to more conjestion. I would like to know if there has ever been a study on doctors' analysis of the percentile of patients that really didn't need to be seen.

I was managing a full service restaurant and a homeless man came in off the street and laid on the waiting bench in the lobby. This took away from the ambience of the restaurant as many patrons were distracted. I had asked the gentleman to either take a seat or vacate the premises. He asked if he could stay there from the rain and cold. I had told him that he could stay as long as he was a paying customer. After I had asked him four times to leave, I threatened to call law enforcement to remove him from the property. The man then stated he wanted me to call an ambulance because he was having a 'heart attack' from his own words. I phoned 911 immediately. Ambulance arrived shortly thereafter. Apparently he was a frequent patient because the medic informed me that this wasn't the first time this had happened. The medic also stated that his 'heart attack' story was bogus. The man just wanted a place to hang his head for a few.

I know this is an extreme example of what I am making reference to, but this happens on a daily basis all across the nation. This has to stop.

What do you think?

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

I'm with you, Brownie........that was indeed an excellent post, and certainly one of the most sensible and compassionate on this particular thread.

[live4today, RN]

Originally posted by NursePerson

".............................."when someone was cold i took them in, When they were hungry i feed them, when they were in prison i come to visit, when they were lonely i comforted them...........".

NursePerson....in my faith and the Holy Bible that I believe in it clearly states exactly what you believe and shared with us. I'm just posting to say "Hoorah!" to you for having such a heart as my Lord's example taught us to have.......one human being to another. It is our responsibility to look out for one another because we are ONE big family.....different, yet the same in more ways than we care to agree upon. :)

[Peeps Mcarthur]

By Ohmom

We have children starving every day and we are going in debt as a country to give to others who would just as soon blow our face off than to thank us........

I think this would sum it up nicely. If the people we are saving from the evil regiem want to chew our face off, what do you think the people that intend to fly planes into buildings think? Those people are willing to kill themselves as long as they can take a few thousand with them. I don't think they even care who or from what country the people they kill are from really. The Iraqis themselves are being targeted. I think the U.S. was just an easier target because we would never dream of such a thing being done without a reason other than we are not the same religion.

We are not in Iraq to get the kudos from the people whose butts we are saving from opression. We are not in Iraq just to spread democracy because the minute we leave they're going to start overthrowing the government until the warlord with the most cigaretts wins................No, we are in Iraq, and afghanistan for that matter, so the war on terrror stays in those countries

We will never get a thank you card from Iraq. The poulation consists of warlords, those people on thier payroll, and some civillians that are terrorized by them. There will be no democracy in Iraq, but if we had not intervened, perhapse there would have been much worse.

The middle east will always be a bloody mess, and the poor in this country will be on welfare. The both of them will always complain that they are mistreated by the U.S. government. That's how they get more and more aid all the time............public sentement means votes for the next election.

If all that needs to be done so I can be reasonably sure the plane that I'm on to go visit granny for Christmas won't be blown out of the sky or crashed into something............so be it.

The poor have the security of foodstamps and I have the millitary fighting for my life in Iraq, and all of us can sleep peacefuly because of it.

Brad

[ERKev]

Originally posted by skybirdrising

I know this is an extreme example of what I am making reference to, but this happens on a daily basis all across the nation. This has to stop.

What do you think?

Actually, that ISN'T extreme. I work in a number of Metro Detroit ERs and it is very common.

What do I think? I think they should be prosecuted... Bogging down the emergency medical system for non medical reasons should be dealt with firmly, but alas, it is politically INcorrect to deal with these abusers...

[skybirdrising]

How did my OP go from bottlenecking ER to Iraq? I think if we focus on one problem at a time, perhaps a solution shall follow. Maybe I am hoping too much.

[Peeps Mcarthur]

How did my OP go from bottlenecking ER to Iraq?

Bottlenecking ER and the war on terrorism in Iraq are both social, and socio-economic pathogens that affect our societal structure.

They share a common etiology.

[MishlB]

Originally posted by skybirdrising

I believe that many people abuse the current health care system.

I was managing a full service restaurant and a homeless man came in off the street and laid on the waiting bench in the lobby. This took away from the ambience of the restaurant as many patrons were distracted. I had asked the gentleman to either take a seat or vacate the premises. He asked if he could stay there from the rain and cold. I had told him that he could stay as long as he was a paying customer. After I had asked him four times to leave, I threatened to call law enforcement to remove him from the property. The man then stated he wanted me to call an ambulance because he was having a 'heart attack' from his own words. I phoned 911 immediately. Ambulance arrived shortly thereafter. Apparently he was a frequent patient because the medic informed me that this wasn't the first time this had happened. The medic also stated that his 'heart attack' story was bogus. The man just wanted a place to hang his head for a few.

I know this is an extreme example of what I am making reference to, but this happens on a daily basis all across the nation. This has to stop.

What do you think?

I would have let him stay and fed him, paying customer or not.