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ER Diaries: Family Reunion

Hey People!
Frustration mode on.


One thing I or any ER physician  can’t emphasise enough: the ER is not the place for a family reunion. Bring one responsible adult to help you through the process.

 If you must bring children, see that there is an adult to watch them. We are not Romper Room. We need to figure out what’s wrong with you and treat you. We don’t really want to deal with your sister’s, best friend’s hysterics at the same time. Please leave the entourage at home!


So frustrating how crowded ER’s have become. The root cause is overuse by patients who’ve figured out they can get seen sooner than getting to see their primary care doctor–if they even have one. No one part of our medical system exists in isolation. Like a long line of proverbial dominoes, when one part tips over, it knocks down almost all the others in someway.

It’s high time people understand. Small problem = small hospital like a minor cut or something where they can get attended quickly without wasting time. Serious issues like chest pain in bigger ERs because you’ll be attended first and reassured to the level of infinity by every possible investigation.

So far so much!
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