I don't know why people think they need to call ahead to let the hospital know that they are bringing a patient to the Emergency Room. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's so annoying. People will call and tell me, the operator, that they are bringing someone to the ER, and it's just not necessary. Surprise them, they like it!
The call I just got was from an employee at a nursing home, calling to say that she just wanted to let 'them' know that a patient was coming in. I asked who she was trying to contact, and she said she didn't know (!), she had been told to call and let the hospital know that a patient was coming from the nursing home. Okay, does she think I'm going to make an overhead announcement? Idiot. I kindly said I would transfer her to ER admitting, although they don't give a skinny-tailed rat's ass who is on their way here, because they can't register the patient until they actually arrive.
If the patient you are going to bring in is in such terrible shape that preparations need to be made before they arrive, you should probably be calling an ambulance, unless you want to get body fluids all over your car. That is my public service announcement tonight. You're welcome.
That is very good to know, because we've all been watching shows like ER and Marcus Welby wherein there's always some kind of radio dispatch message to announce that someone will soon be arriving at the Emergency Room.
ReplyDeleteNow that you mention it though, that call is coming from the ambulance driver.
Yes the few times I have had to run a child to emergency the last thought on my mind was "I better call and let them know"......That's why it's called EMERGENCY. If you have time to think about it, it can probably wait until you can see your doctor.
ReplyDeleteYour posts are putting me to shame. Love them!