This is why ERs are used as PCPs

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Specializes in Telemetry.

Perfect example:

2 of my kids were running a fever for 24 hrs, then both started with sore throats, and both had white patches all over their tonsils. I call the MD at 9 am who has new office staff and tell them I'm fairly certain that both of my kids have strep throat and would like to get them in to be seen by the dr. New office lady says "we are all filled up today and tomorrow, then the dr goes on vacation, so you will have to wait a week and a half until he gets back and bring them in then. Ok? Bye." and hangs up before I could even say anything. :banghead:

There isn't an urgent care center here. The only alternative is the ER. How ridiculous is that?? I called back and pushed the issue, and said that they couldn't wait a week and a half to be seen. She got this huge attitude and said "well, I'll go ask". Comes back and says "You can bring them in but you'll have to wait a long time since the other scheduled pts will be higher priority." and hangs up again with out saying anything else.

They got in, did the in office screening for strep, both came back positive.

Not only did she expect for me to wait a week and a half for a sick visit, but she was COMPLETELY rude on top of it.

If we weren't moving, I would change PCP, never go back, and write a letter to the dr and explain why.

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Specializes in ALF, Medical, ER.

First off- Sorry your kids are sick. Hope they get better soon!

Second off- Even if you are moving, I would still write a letter to your doctor explaining to him/her the behavior of their office staff and that it upset you. The doctor may not even know what is going on.

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Specializes in ICU.

wow, i would definitely write a letter to the doctor (and maybe hand deliver it, just in case she happens upon it)

makes me wonder, how many other critical cases is she intercepting?

hope the little ones feel better soon

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

so sorry you had that experience, but yes..if pmd's could fit patients in like they used to the ER would not be so over crowed. if i had a dime for every time a patient told me they could not get in to see their pmd i would have a over flowing piggy bank.

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

I could not agree more, same thing happened to me a few years ago, I had a little with one severe resp issues. Called the Dr and they even said they could "hear" him breathing over the phone(he was sitting on my lap) but they could not get him in. I could get in the next day after 4pm.

I ended up having to take him to the ER to get a breathing tx and meds. He had pneumonia. Every ER/resp staff I encountered I felt like I had to explain that Dr .Toobusy couldnt get us in today, that I tried but was unable. I felt guilty for being in an ER even though I had a terribly sick little boy.

My insurance charges me the same for ER or Dr. 20.00 copay. But how much is the insurance comp paying for my visit to the ER vs my visit to the Dr?

Drs continue to over book/double book. I dont see many Drs office nurses on this forum, but I am friends with one, they can see up to 100 patients a day. The nurses are running their butts off, the Drs step in for all of what 3min? The nurses make the same hourly rate if they have 30 patients on the books or 100.

FYI I switched Drs and couldnt be happier, my 1st question 1) Do you have an NP or a PA on site that can see us if you cant.

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This is why I love the family pratice I see they have an NP who takes nothing but call in cases - I have never had to wait more than 15 min to see a Dr for the kids, they can treat the whole family its just awsome if there are any Doc lurking here that can copy this set up you will have the busiest pratice in town with happy patients to boot! Love my Doc who treats his staff like gold..

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Specializes in Cardiac, ER.

My Dr is usually pretty good about getting us in,.thank goodness!

I don't think a kid with strep or pneumonia is inappropriate for the ER. Taking a kid with a fever to ER on occasion is not using the ER as PCP. It's those who have chronic medical problems and come to the ER for BP med refills or more pain meds for their chronic back pain, or come in for a rash they've had for 3 months! The occasional middle of the night emergency is why we are there! I assure you at the ER where I work no one would have been mummbling about you not waiting to see your reg Dr.

I am still amazed at the people who call 911 for EMS transport because they vomitted X2 in the last hour,..or they tripped and fell from a standing position,.no c/o "but thought I should be checked out".

Just curious,.the OP,.where do you live that you don't have access to an urgent care? I don't live in a big city,,..but there are way more urgent cares available than ER's.

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Years ago I came down with conjunctivitis, and was leaving in two days to be out of town for a week. I called my PCP and was told there was nothing available, even though I explained that I was going to be leaving town.

I actually ended up in the ER for this! I felt like a complete tool. The doc I saw started to give me a lecture about how I shouldn't have been there, but I told him the situation. He was quite angry about my PCP's response.

Yes, I did change doctors over this. The docs we have now (actually a husband and wife with a joint practice, which is cool) are WONDERFUL about getting us in. In fact, I called this past Monday morning at 9am and was in there by 10:15 (bronchitis - oh joy). I thanked the receptionist for getting me in so quickly; she said, "Oh, we stash a few openings away for people like you. If you had called about a hangnail, you would have gotten a different response." :wink2:

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I had to do this recently. I had vomited a bunch of times and blood a couple of times and my doctor could not see me that day. My school nurse at college told me that i either needed to see my doc THAT DAY or go to the ER. I was embarressed to go to theER for that but I had no choice really, the nurse knowing me, planned to call an ambulance, but I promised that I would go. I decided I would at least go to the hospital that I am already a patient at since they have all my history.

I was embarresed to be there but I was told by my nurse not to worry. That it was good I went because I was dehydrated.

I am 20 (and was when I went) last time I had been in the ER was when I was 5. So I do not go there very often.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, ER.

My family and I have used ARNP's in rural clinics for years for just this reason. We never go to the doctor except for "cough/congestion x 2 weeks" when we've gotten tired of waiting for our immune systems to deal with things. I love the small rural practices, because you can always get a same day visit.

If I ever decided to go to medical school at this point in time, I would go into a primary care track and eventually open a concierge type practice. Fixed fee per year, limited number of patients, available to them 24/7. Folks are paying a premium for this kind of service, and you don't have to deal with insurance or Medicare cutting reimbursement every year. It's not the PCP's fault that they have to overbook and see an insane number of patients a day - it's the only way to survive as a business under the current dysfunctional health care model. You're going to see more physicians in the not-so-distant future cutting the government strings and getting back to the business of caring for patients.

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Specializes in ER, IICU, PCU, PACU, EMS.

To the OP, definitely write the letter! I hope the kiddos are feeling better.

I sorely miss our first pediatrician. Sometimes the office wait was long, but when he entered that room, you got his full attention for however long you needed him. What PCP will keep asking, "What else do you want to ask? Anything you need to talk about? What else?"

My kids have the uncanny ability to get sick exactly on every holiday. A few years ago, my daughter became really sick on Thanksgiving. I was working and hubby tried everything he could think of doing. When his office paged him, the doc told my husband to be at the office in 30 minutes. The doc said he was going to be at the hospital most of the day and could escape to check her out. He actually opened the office for her because he said he couldn't have a little one feeling bad on a holiday.

I wish he didn't move. My family misses him!!

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I would go find some articles from the journal of nursing or medicine regarding the connection between untreated strep throat and rheumatic fever and valve defects. It only takes 1 week of untreated strep infection for rheumatic fever to begin. Print out the articles and find that rude lady who told you to wait a few weeks to get an appointment. and present the info to her with a nice shiny red bow and a list of law offices because she and that medical office will surely be needing the service of an attorney if this is the way that they do business.

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