You're Just Getting OLD!

So, after spending a few days in the emergency room, I can give you several "illnesses" that do not require an emergency room. Or, as one of the gastroenterologists put it when I called to ask about a patient, "These are the people who are costing the system millions! Tell the patient that!" I didn't feel like giving the patient a lesson about economics, so I am telling you about it instead.

1. Old woman who is "just not hungry." Her daughter was freaking out wanting her mother admitted. I'm sorry, but all labs were completely normal. What can I say? She's OLD! And, it's not an emergency! Go to your primary care doc in the morning.

2. Wanting to get a test that she missed the appointment for. Sorry, you will have to reschedule the colonoscopy. We can't have it performed at 10:00 at night just because you showed up at the emergency department.

3. Urinary tract infection. Well, maybe this could become an emergency. Not very likely in a young woman, though. And, the main reason the girl came to the emergency room was because she didn't have insurance. (This is a whole different topic)

These are just a few examples. However, I have also seen plenty of people who did need to be there including the guy I got to suture up who had fallen 20 feet...COOL. Oh yeah...he was okay. (just in case you thought I was being insensitive)

However, if your mom is getting old and it is making you sad, that is DEFINITELY not a good reason to take her to the emergency room.