HealthCare System in the States

[TenderCat 0]

Last night my wife was rushed into hospital by ambulance. She had severe stomach pains and any slight movement would make them worse. I got a call at work, and got there as soon as possible.

When i arrived at the hospital, at 12.30am, they had no record of her having been admitted. They said it usually takes time, so i took a seat. I sit and wait and about 1am, i re approach the window, and they tell me she was admitted at 12am. I was peeved at this, as she had been there all alone for an hour or so, and i didnt know what was going on.

So they take me back to see her in ER, and she is in severe pain. I was worried, she was worried, and we both didnt really know what was wrong.

So we keep trying and trying to get someone to look at her, and at 4am a nurse finally comes to see her. I said to myself and my wife..."Is this a joke, you have been here 4hrs and not one single person has came to see you, and your in serious pain". I also asked the nurse why it took so long and they said that they were understaffed and had too many patients. Cmon now...4hrs in pain isnt serious? especially when you dont know the cause of it...it could have been anything and it seemed as though not one of them gave a damn about her, n thats probably why she was stuck in the corner cubicle.

So eventually they give her morphine, take details and take a cat scan...

They move her to another room in ER, and the wait goes on.

Now this is the part of it that really annoyed me, and i was talked to by a security guard as a result. My wife needed the toliet, so the nurse that was going to help her, told me to wait outside in the corridor. About 5 minutes into my wait, a bed mover / room cleaner guy, walks past, and starts to give me abuse. He tells me that i cant stand where i was standing, that i had to move, and was downright rude. I said the nurse told me i could stay there, and he basically said..screw her, i am telling u to move. So i argued and asked why other people were allowed to stand in the corridor, and his reason was that they were waiting to see a patient that was involved in an automobile accident and had permission to be there from the doctor. What a freaking joke i said, do you know whats wrong with my wife, he said it wasnt his job to know, and said that if i didnt move he would call security. Needless to say being a stubborn scotsman, i didnt move. He then called on a security guard, who came to me and asked what the problem was. I explained to him everything that had happened, and he turned round and said...stand where u were standing. Its fine if you wait there as long as your not causing hassles. I laughed at this. I kept saying what the room cleaner guy had said, and he gave me a number to call and report him. Needless to say i just done this, and from what i was told, it will be his last day of employment at the hospital, due to several other complaints....IS IT one rule for americans and another for foriegners?? Is it one rule for someone who had been in a car crash ( the guy in the crash had a broken arm and leg) and another rule for someone whos symptoms are unknown.

When i finally got to see my wife again i was absolutely steaming.....the experience i got of the health care system here was horrendous, and if something were to happen to me, i wouldnt even go near it after what we went through.

Anyways to cut the rest of the story short...my wife had a ruptured cyst in her ovaries ( i think thats the spelling). It was the reason behind the pain, and she has been given an appointment with a specialist, who will in the short term perform surgery from what i gathered. She was discharged at 11.30am and is now in bed trying to rest.

Thnx for listening to me rant and rave...i needed someone to whine too....

Davie

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Sorry to hear you had such a bad expierence.... hope your wife is better soon...

Kezzie

[ladybutterfly 0]

Wow thats really bad. And all that waiting that she had to do! You would think with all the hospitals being private over here there wouldnt be a wait! Hope your wife is well soon.

[Cassie 8]

Anyways to cut the rest of the story short...my wife had a ruptured cyst in her ovaries ( i think thats the spelling). It was the reason behind the pain, and she has been given an appointment with a specialist, who will in the short term perform surgery from what i gathered. She was discharged at 11.30am and is now in bed trying to rest.

Davie

First of all, sorry that this experience was so stressful for you.

I've had a couple of ruptured cysts myself -- they are not fun at all, very painful as they go through the actual rupturing process. Fortunately, I didn't need surgery, hopefully your wife won't need it either. My best wishes to her!

[Welshcookie 17]

Hope your wife feels better soon.....sorry you had such a bad experience too....

[pax 0]

Hospitals are actually not all private. Many are, but not all.

Just wanted to clear that up. Otherwise, sorry about your horrible experience, and hope your wife is feeling better.

[tewlip 1]

I am so sorry you had such a difficult time. Please don't take that as being the norm for the U.S. I'm Canadian, we have health care here and I assumed the best healthcare anywhere. Last year my USC fiancee was very ill prior to a liver transplant. I had to rush him to the hospital 9 times (every 7 days) in a coma. The hospital staff there couldn't have been nicer to me. They got me a cot to sleep in while he was there. Nurses brought me meals and coffee. they went for a walk with me when I needed a friendly shoulder. they went out of their way to make me feel better and did their best to not let me be alone too much. We spent months in hospitals last year....and my opinion of the medical profession in the U.S. was changed for the better. Unfortunately, there are good and bad hospitals everywhere. It does NOT take away from what happened to you and your wife. I just wanted you to see that there is good there too. I sincerely hope your wife is better.

[iceyspots 0]

So sorry to hear about your experience... Unfortunately health care is cutting quite a bit... There is a need for nurses and doctors, yet they are currently laying them off (at least in the area where I live).. and increasing the amount of patients assigned to each nurse or doctor... unfortunately that makes care suffer...

[Jasman0717 9]

Sorry to hear of your wife's pain and the stupid hospital. I have been to emergency a couple of times and had good experiences so maybe it was just the crew that day or maybe piss poor management at the hospital. I hope all works out well for your wife

[Satisfaction 1]

Hope your wife feels better soon

I can relate to you. The NYC crowded and understaffed emergency rooms failed my expectations - more than once - of a fist world country healthcare facility (no name) !! Going to the emergency can frankly be a daunting experience.. Or at least in the big cities perhaps?

[Anastasia 1]

Best wishes to your wife

[doodlebugfor_u 0]

I hope your wife is better. Luckily not all hospitals are like this.

[Jasman0717 9]

[luvaLimey 0]

She was admitted at 12am with severe stomach pains, and wasn't seen by anyone until 4am?

If she has any complications, I think you've got pretty decent grounds for a lawsuit.

[Satisfaction 1]

She was admitted at 12am with severe stomach pains, and wasn't seen by anyone until 4am?

4 hours only? Not bad!! I waited about the same time with a broken wrist in an emergency room at the Montefiore hospital... Well, it was the Bronx though. What is a broken wrist compared to a bulet in yr forethead?

But the doctor and staff were great, I must admit (once I got to see them!)