Re: “Five-hour wait at hospital unacceptable,” Letters, Jan. 13. These responses were compiled from the News’ website comments section.
As a paramedic, a huge reason why there is a lack of ambulances for people who actually need them is that the public still thinks arrival by ambulance influences how quickly you will be seen.
Yes, you were right to call if this was a new condition, (the letter writer notes, he was paralyzed with pain and unable to drive.) However, if there was immediate need for medical intervention, this would have been discovered in their assessment.
There needs to be a huge public education push to inform people that ambulances are for life and death emergencies, not for stubbed toes, headaches and all the other ridiculous things we are called to. If your friends were complaining to the nurses that you needed to be seen because you “arrived by ambulance,” I’m frankly not surprised they hung up.
Robbie G
There is no policy that arriving by ambulance gets you seen quicker. There has never been such a policy. The public has this perception, and it results in people sometimes calling for an ambulance instead of getting themselves to a hospital because they believe they will get in sooner.
The wait comes down to triage — unfortunately pain is low on the list. People with undetermined maladies, or anything that could cause more damage by waiting, are going to be seen earlier.
Back pain is often a chronic condition, and, while the pain could increase, the damage isn’t getting worse by the minute.
opterondual
To the other commenters, the author clearly stated he called for an ambulance not to “be seen faster” but because he was immobilized from the pain.
It was perfectly reasonable to call 911, assuming he was unable to get into a car with assistance from friends/family.
On the issue of wait times, the author does seem to be confused in his belief that he should have been seen faster based on his mode of arrival.
It’s unfortunate this person had to wait so long while in pain, but unfortunately pain does not move you up the priority list at triage when there are people with potentially life-threatening conditions who need to be assessed first.
As to the people going ahead of you who seemed healthy, you can’t make those assumptions. Furthermore, sometimes these people are seen first because you are waiting for services and resources that they don’t need, and so they can be moved out quicker.
Sometimes, they just need a laceration sewed up or something quick and easy, while you need an actual bed and access to imaging and other diagnostics.
Toxicmegacolon:
Everyone that comes into the emergency department (ER), regardless if it’s by ambulance or not, gets put into one of four categories (CTAS Score). This is based on how quickly you need to be seen by an emergency physician.
The longer you wait, the lower your acuity. As one of the comments above states, pain is low on the list and for good reason. I can sympathize with your situation, having spent three hours waiting in the same wating room with a broken wrist a few months ago.
I work as a paramedic in Richmond and know the staff, but I was triaged just like everyone else and sat in the waiting room just like everyone else who didn’t need to be seen right away.
The ER also has to deal with beds in the department that have admitted patients in them. These are people sick enough to be in the hospital but can’t be moved out of the ER because the hospital has no open beds in the wards to move them to. Add to this people using ambulances as taxis and emergency rooms as walk-in clinics and we have our situation.
Not saying your situation didn’t warrant an ambulance and a trip to the ER. The system is not perfect by any stretch but it’s what we have and agree education is part of the solution.
Lance Davison
Letter: ER system flawed
Dear Editor,
Re: “Five-hour wait at hospital unacceptable,” Letters, Jan. 13.
A recent letter to the newspaper highlights the chronic problems regarding wait times when checking into the emergency unit of the Richmond Hospital .
I faced a similar situation when I waited for eight hours sitting in the waiting room before being admitted. I made the unfortunate mistake of arriving on my own and without any assistance. After registering at the front desk, I was instructed to take a seat in the waiting room and wait to be called. I waited for eight hours during which time new arrivals in wheelchairs, on crutches, using walkers, supported with canes, etc. were all called ahead of me. When my time came to be admitted it was late at night and I was the only one in the waiting room. Needless to say, I had a further wait on a bed in a cubicle during which time I fell asleep.
What struck me was that often patients who were wheeled into the waiting room by friends or relatives in a wheelchair would abandon the wheelchair when their name was called. I have since learned that a patient who walks into emergency on their own and without any form of assistance is regarded as low priority and must wait as long as it takes.
As advice for all those who may require admission to the emergency, do not walk in on your own. There are wheelchairs at the entrance. Take one and make good use of it as you approach the registration desk. This will be noted by the admitting person on duty and your wait will be reduced considerably .
Obviously, the hospital has a prioritization procedure for emergency admissions, but it is sadly flawed.
Alan Johnson
Richmond
