Some people will go though life without needing to visit an emergency room. If you can avoid it, that’s great. It probably means you’re not experiencing any medical emergencies, and that no one you know has an affliction requiring immediate attention.
Emergency room visits often end on a positive note. You or the person who needs medical assistance can get it there. However, even if you’re surrounded by medical professionals, they might not always diagnose the problem correctly. Diagnosis errors impact one in 18 emergency room patients, and usually not for the better.
Still, getting to an emergency room usually represents the best chance you have to get the medical attention you need if you’re in acute distress. Let’s take a few moments to discuss what you can expect if you ever visit one.
When Should You Visit an Emergency Room?
First, you should know when to visit an emergency room or when to seek out another option. You should head to an emergency room if you feel reasonably sure that you’re experiencing a medical emergency. That might sound somewhat simplistic, but that’s probably the only real rule you need to follow.
Let’s say that you injure your ankle while playing soccer in the park with your friends. It’s painful, and it swells up and takes on a purplish tinge. You want to see if it’s broken, so you feel like you should get some medical attention.
You probably don’t need to visit an emergency room for something like that. Instead, you might do better going to an urgent care clinic. Urgent care facilities have seen a surge in popularity in recent years. If you live a decent-sized city, it’s likely you can find one near you.
If you visit an urgent care clinic, that will probably not cost you anywhere near as much as you’d pay if you visited an emergency room. It might seem callous to have to consider the cost if you feel ill or you injure yourself, but that does often enter into a person’s decision-making process in America.
This country has privatized healthcare, and what you’ll pay out of pocket to go to an urgent care facility probably won’t seem so bad versus the copay you must cover if you visit an emergency room. You might have a $500 copay if you visit an emergency room, on average.
If you’re experiencing stomach pain that brings you to tears, though, you’ll probably want to visit an emergency room. If you cut off a finger by accident while cooking, you will certainly want to go to one. If another player hits you when you’re playing football and knocks you unconscious, a friend or family member taking you to an emergency room definitely makes sense.
What Happens When You Arrive?
When you get there, you will approach the receptionist. They will ask what is happening with you, and then they will ask for your insurance.
If it’s obvious that you’re having a life-threatening situation at that moment, like if you’re bleeding profusely, then you can likely forego this step. Otherwise, you must probably fill out some paperwork, even if you’re in acute distress.
It’s always advisable to have someone with you when you go to an emergency room. They can help you to fill out your paperwork if you can’t do it because you feel too sick. A family member works best, but if you have a close friend, maybe they can go with you.
You May Have to Wait for a While
Unless it’s obvious that you’re near death, you might have to wait for a while before someone will see you. Most emergency rooms have chairs and TVs. You must sit and try to keep your spirits up until someone calls your name.
Emergency rooms can seem like grim places. You’ll probably have other individuals around you who need attention.
Some might have physical ailments, while others may have obvious mental or psychological ones. Generally, waiting for someone to see you in an emergency room won’t fill you with joy, but it’s something you must do if you’re going to get the medical attention you need.
You Can Have a Family Member Enter the Hospital with You
Once someone calls your name, then you can enter the hospital’s interior. Your family member or friend can usually come with you.
You will probably want that, unless you want privacy. You might consider yourself a brave individual, but if you’re alone in a hospital, that’s difficult.
You may feel afraid or out of your element. When you enter a hospital, you’re getting the medical intervention that could save your life, but you’re also frequently surrendering your dignity. Having a friendly face there can help you to get through this unpleasant moment.
The Hospital Staff Will Either Send You Home or Admit You
The hospital staff will ask you what is happening, and you can describe it. If it’s obvious what’s wrong, they will probably start treatment without delay. In most cases, though, they will start running tests.
This process might take hours. Depending on whether you’re there at a more or less busy time, you might sit and wait for what seems like forever. Hopefully, you will get some attention relatively quickly and you will get some answers.
At some point, the hospital staff will make a diagnosis. They might feel that they should admit you, meaning you’re staying at the facility for at least a while. If the staff determine that they can’t do anything for you at that moment, then they will discharge you, and you can go home.
If the staff admits you, then your friend or family member might leave so they can go home and get you anything you feel you need. If it looks like you’re there for a while, they might go grab your laptop, a book, and anything else you require as you get set for a potentially lengthy hospital stay.
