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Accident and Emergency Ward.

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  • Accident and Emergency Ward.

    Accident and Emergency Ward!
    Pin-point pains in my upper chest had been increasing over a few days, but since I had been lifting ladders and heavy rolls of felt these could have been complaining muscles. But by yesterday they were stronger and more frequent and my blood pressure was rising dangerously high.

    I spoke with my wife, packed a small bag with essentials (and a thick Wilbur Smith novel) and set off for the local health center. I didn't wait there for very long before medical clinicians took me away for various tests, and then they told me that I must go to hospital and that an ambulance had been called.

    I called my wife and then was sped off by ambulance to the main A&E hospital at Margate, about 20 miles further along the coast. At 4pm on arrival, the entrance area to A&E was crowded with patients in chairs and gurneys, and 14 ambulance paramedics stood about, waiting for their patients to be received in to hospital care so that they could report for their next assignment.

    I needed time to go by and so I settled in to my chair and fell asleep. I was woken by a paramedic who took me to the A&E reception hall which was crowded, and only one seat was vacant for me. A medic was calling out a lengthy roll call of patients and told the assembly that although 140 patients were there at reception, and waiting for treatments and clinical decisions, that everybody would be attended to...in time. I checked that my name was on the patient list and then sat back down........ and snoozed.

    I was woken by a medic who took my blood pressure..... she gave me a kind look and mentioned that my readings were not good, that I would be seen soon. After about an hour a nurse took me to a room where she attached a catheter to me and took many blood samples, and then I sat back down and opened my book.

    As time passed I became absorbed in the storyline, but a medic stopped by me and asked what sandwich I would like.....I got an egg sandwich, such a pleasant surprise, and then soon afterwards she called back with fruit, hot-cross buns and some drinks, and there I was with a banana, bun and bottle of water, so I wouldn't need to figure out how to buy crisps from a card-pay dispenser!

    And then, about three hours after arriving, I was taken to an area where my heart and circulation was monitored, all those sticky contacts everywhere. I sat back down and got talking with another patient who had been there two hours longer than me.....severe fibrillations, she told me. We got to chatting.

    Eventually I was taklen to Doctor Obi who asked many questions and scanned my whole torso and throat areas. We talked about my medications and when he discovered that I had some of my blood pressure tablets with me, I was asked to take one and go back to my seat. About an hour later the blood pressure lady called back and my bp had dropped away and to safety.

    I got to chatting with the fibrillating lady again...... by this time it was about 11pm, and a man started to shout at the A&E staff...he had been there for two hours and began to tell about what he would do if he was not attended to immediately. The blood pressure lady spoke with him and as she spoke she gestured with her hands, so he reached out quickly and snatched at her, grasping one of her fingers and twisting it as he shouted at her. Many of us immediately showed support for the bp lady but she just took his aggression so placidly; the fibrillating lady called out to this man that she had been there for over 7 hours and that he should be quiet. Other murmured their agreement. A Hospital security officer arrived, huge in black fatigues and ppe clothing. A&E staff need huge security officers like these.

    Eventually at 11.30pm consulting doctor Ola (he had a very long and wonderful name) took me to a room and explained that all I needed was increased medication and that all their searches and tests had not shown any obvious problems. When I asked he smiled hugely and explained his long name; he was the child of parents from two royal families. I told him that my name was just 'Peter' and we both laughed. He explained that he would send a report to my doctor, proposing increased medication.

    I had received so many tests and scans, experienced so much, chatted with such interesting folks, and at 11.45pm I wondered whether I might sleep in a corner somewhere or pay the £40 night taxi fare home. I had paid nothing for what I received during that day from so many people, the clinicians at the local center, the ambulance crew, the masses of folks at A&E, and I know that it costs over £50 for a 15 minute consultation about a loved cat or dog with a vet. I wondered how much our NHS had spent on me during yesterday. Out of hundreds of needy patients only one had shown impatience and unacceptable speech and actions.

    A taxi took me home to my wife and I gladly paid the night-service fee and tip.

    This my A&E experience at QEQM Hospital, Margate.

  • #2
    Sorry for your health problems but your story does not speak well for the NHS. It might be free but people with potential heart problems waiting for hours at an emergency room doesn't seem very responsive.

    At US emergency rooms at hospitals if you are brought in in an ambulance with a potential life threatening condition, like a potential heart attack, you are seen immediately. They will wheel you directly into an exam room. If it is determined you are not having a life threatening episode then you might be put into a queue to wait for a doctor to examine you more extensively.

    And we have a lot of smaller "immediate care" centers for not life threatening conditions that need quick care, from feeling ill from a flu, to cutting yourself cooking, etc. There are so many of them that it is rare to not be able to get to see a doctor withing half an hour of visiting one.

    Now I have had to wait at an emergency room at a hospital for several hours when I did a walk-in for having a bad episode of nausea/diarrhea.

    Comment


    • #3
      In the area I live in, and having some experience with hospitals, I've found that going a short distance further to a suburban/rural hospital ER will afford quicker treatment than going to the city hospitals. Usually. My wife and I did get burned once and found a rural ER to be a bit busy.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Sparko View Post
        Sorry for your health problems but your story does not speak well for the NHS. It might be free but people with potential heart problems waiting for hours at an emergency room doesn't seem very responsive.

        At US emergency rooms at hospitals if you are brought in in an ambulance with a potential life threatening condition, like a potential heart attack, you are seen immediately. They will wheel you directly into an exam room. If it is determined you are not having a life threatening episode then you might be put into a queue to wait for a doctor to examine you more extensively.

        And we have a lot of smaller "immediate care" centers for not life threatening conditions that need quick care, from feeling ill from a flu, to cutting yourself cooking, etc. There are so many of them that it is rare to not be able to get to see a doctor withing half an hour of visiting one.

        Now I have had to wait at an emergency room at a hospital for several hours when I did a walk-in for having a bad episode of nausea/diarrhea.
        While not a life-threatening emergency I'd think that someone having diarrhea is probably not a person you want having sitting around for several hours waiting to be seen

        I'm always still in trouble again

        "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
        "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
        "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Ronson View Post
          In the area I live in, and having some experience with hospitals, I've found that going a short distance further to a suburban/rural hospital ER will afford quicker treatment than going to the city hospitals. Usually. My wife and I did get burned once and found a rural ER to be a bit busy.
          Luckily in my city, most of the big hospitals are all clustered in one area. In a few city blocks there are like 5 hospitals. So none are ever so busy you can't get in to see a doctor pretty quickly.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
            While not a life-threatening emergency I'd think that someone having diarrhea is probably not a person you want having sitting around for several hours waiting to be seen
            luckily there was a bathroom off of the waiting area.

            That was before the proliferation of the Immediate care centers all over the place. Now they seem to be as common as Dollar Stores.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Sparko View Post

              Luckily in my city, most of the big hospitals are all clustered in one area. In a few city blocks there are like 5 hospitals. So none are ever so busy you can't get in to see a doctor pretty quickly.
              We only have two in the city and they're almost always busy.

              There's a hospital in Mountain View, MO that always puzzled me. Every single time I had to visit that ER (for business) it was empty. Not a soul for patients. The doctor started chatting with me one time - out of boredom, I presume.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Sparko View Post

                luckily there was a bathroom off of the waiting area.

                That was before the proliferation of the Immediate care centers all over the place. Now they seem to be as common as Dollar Stores.
                One moved into where the Dollar Tree near Kroger was and there is one across the street to where they moved to.

                I'm always still in trouble again

                "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
                "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
                "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
                  One moved into where the Dollar Tree near Kroger was and there is one across the street to where they moved to.
                  They are breeding! I have two within walking distance of my house. Both are run as "offshoots" from major hospitals.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by eider View Post
                    Accident and Emergency Ward!
                    Pin-point pains in my upper chest had been increasing over a few days, but since I had been lifting ladders and heavy rolls of felt these could have been complaining muscles. But by yesterday they were stronger and more frequent and my blood pressure was rising dangerously high.

                    I spoke with my wife, packed a small bag with essentials (and a thick Wilbur Smith novel) and set off for the local health center. I didn't wait there for very long before medical clinicians took me away for various tests, and then they told me that I must go to hospital and that an ambulance had been called.

                    I called my wife and then was sped off by ambulance to the main A&E hospital at Margate, about 20 miles further along the coast. At 4pm on arrival, the entrance area to A&E was crowded with patients in chairs and gurneys, and 14 ambulance paramedics stood about, waiting for their patients to be received in to hospital care so that they could report for their next assignment.

                    I needed time to go by and so I settled in to my chair and fell asleep. I was woken by a paramedic who took me to the A&E reception hall which was crowded, and only one seat was vacant for me. A medic was calling out a lengthy roll call of patients and told the assembly that although 140 patients were there at reception, and waiting for treatments and clinical decisions, that everybody would be attended to...in time. I checked that my name was on the patient list and then sat back down........ and snoozed.

                    I was woken by a medic who took my blood pressure..... she gave me a kind look and mentioned that my readings were not good, that I would be seen soon. After about an hour a nurse took me to a room where she attached a catheter to me and took many blood samples, and then I sat back down and opened my book.

                    As time passed I became absorbed in the storyline, but a medic stopped by me and asked what sandwich I would like.....I got an egg sandwich, such a pleasant surprise, and then soon afterwards she called back with fruit, hot-cross buns and some drinks, and there I was with a banana, bun and bottle of water, so I wouldn't need to figure out how to buy crisps from a card-pay dispenser!

                    And then, about three hours after arriving, I was taken to an area where my heart and circulation was monitored, all those sticky contacts everywhere. I sat back down and got talking with another patient who had been there two hours longer than me.....severe fibrillations, she told me. We got to chatting.

                    Eventually I was taklen to Doctor Obi who asked many questions and scanned my whole torso and throat areas. We talked about my medications and when he discovered that I had some of my blood pressure tablets with me, I was asked to take one and go back to my seat. About an hour later the blood pressure lady called back and my bp had dropped away and to safety.

                    I got to chatting with the fibrillating lady again...... by this time it was about 11pm, and a man started to shout at the A&E staff...he had been there for two hours and began to tell about what he would do if he was not attended to immediately. The blood pressure lady spoke with him and as she spoke she gestured with her hands, so he reached out quickly and snatched at her, grasping one of her fingers and twisting it as he shouted at her. Many of us immediately showed support for the bp lady but she just took his aggression so placidly; the fibrillating lady called out to this man that she had been there for over 7 hours and that he should be quiet. Other murmured their agreement. A Hospital security officer arrived, huge in black fatigues and ppe clothing. A&E staff need huge security officers like these.

                    Eventually at 11.30pm consulting doctor Ola (he had a very long and wonderful name) took me to a room and explained that all I needed was increased medication and that all their searches and tests had not shown any obvious problems. When I asked he smiled hugely and explained his long name; he was the child of parents from two royal families. I told him that my name was just 'Peter' and we both laughed. He explained that he would send a report to my doctor, proposing increased medication.

                    I had received so many tests and scans, experienced so much, chatted with such interesting folks, and at 11.45pm I wondered whether I might sleep in a corner somewhere or pay the £40 night taxi fare home. I had paid nothing for what I received during that day from so many people, the clinicians at the local center, the ambulance crew, the masses of folks at A&E, and I know that it costs over £50 for a 15 minute consultation about a loved cat or dog with a vet. I wondered how much our NHS had spent on me during yesterday. Out of hundreds of needy patients only one had shown impatience and unacceptable speech and actions.

                    A taxi took me home to my wife and I gladly paid the night-service fee and tip.

                    This my A&E experience at QEQM Hospital, Margate.
                    I’m glad you are ok!

                    You might not have paid anything out of pocket for your time and tests, but you paid all the same. So did everyone else in your country. That’s what socialized medicine is.

                    Canada has some of the highest taxes in the world, but our health care system has always been a mess. And covid made it worse. We lost thousands of medical personnel who disagreed with the mandates, fired or "laid off", and people are now dying in emergency rooms while they wait for treatment.

                    I waited last year for 4 months to see a gastroenterologist, and another 4 months to have a couple of procedures done. I have to call at least 3 weeks in advance to see my doctor at his clinic. If I need a doctor before that I have to go to the ER or a walk-in clinic. In either case I will sit for hours before I’m seen.

                    The TARGET wait time across Canada is 4 hours. Tales of waits of up to 20 hours is common.

                    My sister was told in May 2021 that she would be in hospital within 6 weeks for hip replacement surgery. It is no surprise, at least to everybody who lives here, that she is still waiting. My daughter needs to see a gastroenterologist but was told by her doctor that nobody in their quite large city is taking gastro patients right now.


                    My husband had a quadruple bypass 10 years ago. He didn’t have a heart attack, praise God, but he waited 2 months to see a cardiologist, another month to get in for an angiogram. The cardiologist told him after that procedure that if he went home he would die because it would be at least 3 months before he would be booked for the bypass. So they kept him in hospital for 10 days before they did the surgery, and another 5 days following. We paid not one cent out of pocket, but there is a trade off for "free" healthcare.

                    You could die waiting.


                    Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by mossrose View Post

                      I’m glad you are ok!

                      You might not have paid anything out of pocket for your time and tests, but you paid all the same. So did everyone else in your country. That’s what socialized medicine is.

                      Canada has some of the highest taxes in the world, but our health care system has always been a mess. And covid made it worse. We lost thousands of medical personnel who disagreed with the mandates, fired or "laid off", and people are now dying in emergency rooms while they wait for treatment.

                      I waited last year for 4 months to see a gastroenterologist, and another 4 months to have a couple of procedures done. I have to call at least 3 weeks in advance to see my doctor at his clinic. If I need a doctor before that I have to go to the ER or a walk-in clinic. In either case I will sit for hours before I’m seen.

                      The TARGET wait time across Canada is 4 hours. Tales of waits of up to 20 hours is common.

                      My sister was told in May 2021 that she would be in hospital within 6 weeks for hip replacement surgery. It is no surprise, at least to everybody who lives here, that she is still waiting. My daughter needs to see a gastroenterologist but was told by her doctor that nobody in their quite large city is taking gastro patients right now.


                      My husband had a quadruple bypass 10 years ago. He didn’t have a heart attack, praise God, but he waited 2 months to see a cardiologist, another month to get in for an angiogram. The cardiologist told him after that procedure that if he went home he would die because it would be at least 3 months before he would be booked for the bypass. So they kept him in hospital for 10 days before they did the surgery, and another 5 days following. We paid not one cent out of pocket, but there is a trade off for "free" healthcare.

                      You could die waiting.
                      My brother just had a routine colonoscopy and they found a bit of cancer that they said they are going to remove and caught early. He is scheduled for surgery on April 6. I can't imagine what it would be like if he were in Canada. He would have had to wait months or years just to have the colonoscopy and by then the cancer could have spread. Then after they found it, it would take several more months more to have the surgery!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Sparko View Post

                        My brother just had a routine colonoscopy and they found a bit of cancer that they said they are going to remove and caught early. He is scheduled for surgery on April 6. I can't imagine what it would be like if he were in Canada. He would have had to wait months or years just to have the colonoscopy and by then the cancer could have spread. Then after they found it, it would take several more months more to have the surgery!
                        Pretty much how it would go.


                        Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I must add to my previous thoughts.

                          Some services are not covered under the universal healthcare system in Canada. The provinces are in charge of allotting the health tax dollars as they see fit, so I can't comment on any other province except my own.

                          Ambulances in Alberta are not covered under the healthcare system unless you are over 65 if one is enrolled in the Alberta Seniors Care program. If you want certain services covered, you have to buy personal health care insurance. Prescriptions are not covered, neither are dental and vision care (eye exams are covered if you are under 18 or over 65). I don't know what other services aren't covered here, because the only one outside of routine care and hospital stuff that we've had to utilize is ambulance.

                          Some dental surgeries are covered by Alberta health. MelMak had orthodontic surgery when he was 18, and the cost of the surgery was covered. I don't know what else would be covered in that regard. Cataract surgery is covered, as are some other vision surgeries.

                          MelMak has an excellent health plan from his work. My husband and I have to pay for extra insurance to get a portion of our dental, vision (lenses and frames), and prescriptions. So "free" healthcare is only "free" as far as it goes. If you want more coverage, you pay for it, over and above your taxes.

                          Now, we are allowed to claim medical expenses not covered by healthcare or private insurance, including premiums we pay for that extra insurance. The credit is minimal and is calculated according to your income. You might end up only being able to claim 5% of your out of pocket expenses. So that's small comfort.



                          Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by mossrose View Post
                            I must add to my previous thoughts.

                            Some services are not covered under the universal healthcare system in Canada. The provinces are in charge of allotting the health tax dollars as they see fit, so I can't comment on any other province except my own.

                            Ambulances in Alberta are not covered under the healthcare system unless you are over 65 if one is enrolled in the Alberta Seniors Care program. If you want certain services covered, you have to buy personal health care insurance. Prescriptions are not covered, neither are dental and vision care (eye exams are covered if you are under 18 or over 65). I don't know what other services aren't covered here, because the only one outside of routine care and hospital stuff that we've had to utilize is ambulance.

                            Some dental surgeries are covered by Alberta health. MelMak had orthodontic surgery when he was 18, and the cost of the surgery was covered. I don't know what else would be covered in that regard. Cataract surgery is covered, as are some other vision surgeries.

                            MelMak has an excellent health plan from his work. My husband and I have to pay for extra insurance to get a portion of our dental, vision (lenses and frames), and prescriptions. So "free" healthcare is only "free" as far as it goes. If you want more coverage, you pay for it, over and above your taxes.

                            Now, we are allowed to claim medical expenses not covered by healthcare or private insurance, including premiums we pay for that extra insurance. The credit is minimal and is calculated according to your income. You might end up only being able to claim 5% of your out of pocket expenses. So that's small comfort.
                            Here our companies usually foot most of the bill for healthcare (if you have a good job). My company pays most of it but I have to pay, i think, $87/month. It covers most hospital and prescription costs, but there is a deductible. I have to pay the first $2000, then the insurance pays 90% and I pay 10%, until I have paid in $3000 total. Then the insurance pays 100%. Dental is not covered or vision, those are separate insurance. Vision is $8/month and Dental is $27/month.

                            With my health problems and prescriptions I usually have the $2000 paid up in a few months after the year starts. So I just budget for that. Plus the company has a Health Savings account that I and they pay into. They pay $100 a month into it, and I put in some myself, so I pay the deductible out of that.

                            But I don't have to wait for any procedures or tests or surgeries.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Sparko View Post

                              Here our companies usually foot most of the bill for healthcare (if you have a good job). My company pays most of it but I have to pay, i think, $87/month. It covers most hospital and prescription costs, but there is a deductible. I have to pay the first $2000, then the insurance pays 90% and I pay 10%, until I have paid in $3000 total. Then the insurance pays 100%. Dental is not covered or vision, those are separate insurance. Vision is $8/month and Dental is $27/month.

                              With my health problems and prescriptions I usually have the $2000 paid up in a few months after the year starts. So I just budget for that. Plus the company has a Health Savings account that I and they pay into. They pay $100 a month into it, and I put in some myself, so I pay the deductible out of that.

                              But I don't have to wait for any procedures or tests or surgeries.
                              The company I joined last year just amazed me. They signed up for a Cigna group plan with a high deductible, and I thought "OK, time to switch to my wife's insurance." But then they gave us all VISA cards with $5k on each one to use for the deductibles. I couldn't use that much in a normal year, unless I was run over by a truck. So my insurance is 100% covered by my monthly pay deduction, which is (IIRC) $120-130 per month. It also covers dental and vision.

                              Comment

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