Published: May 06, 2008 10:22 am         

Parkview stresses use of the ER for true emergencies

Hospital introduces new strategy to foster appropriate ER use

MEXIA, TEXAS - A typical emergency room waiting area anywhere in the country usually includes a number of people who have non-urgent conditions, such as sore throats, headaches, the need for a work excuse or a refill for a prescription. The waiting room at Parkview Regional Hospital is no different and a new strategy to help educate the public on appropriate use of the ER in tandem with a new policy to reinforce the concept went into effect recently.

“Conditions such as these backlog the ER to true emergencies,” explained Parkview CEO Jimmy Stuart. “You don’t want to find the ER filled with non-emergencies when you bring your loved one in with uncontrollable bleeding or a heart attack.”

The situation is common all across the country and hospitals all over are looking for a way to reinforce the concept that ERs are not to be used in the place of going to a primary care physician. Parkview’s strategy to educate the public about what conditions are appropriate is coupled with a policy that encourages patients who are determined to be non-emergent to see their regular provider.

“Patients who come in with a toothache they’ve had for a week or because they need an excuse for work aren’t really using the ER appropriately,” explained Nan Gregg, Parkview’s Chief Nursing Officer. “Under our new policy, each patient is triaged by a nurse and then seen by a physician. If the physician determines that the patient is truly having an emergency, the patient will continue treatment, the same as it’s always been.”

The patients who don’t meet the criteria and are considered to be non-emergent will then be directed back to the Patient Relations Representative and offered the choice of leaving and having no hospital charge or paying a minimal deposit to continue treatment. The deposit will either be the patient’s insurance co-pay amount or $100 (if no co-pay is listed or if the patient has no insurance).

Patients who choose to leave without further treatment and without making the deposit will not accrue hospital charges for the visit, although physician charges may still apply. They will be provided with a listing of area physician clinics where they would find a more appropriate level of care, as well as a listing of community services that may be of assistance.

“Our emergency department sees over 1000 visitors a month,” stated Gregg. “A small percentage of these visits are true emergencies - those that are life threatening - and most conditions, in fact, could easily be treated by a family physician.”

To help the community understand appropriate ER conditions, medical professionals offer several examples of true emergencies when a trip to the emergency room is appropriate:

•Loss of consciousness, no matter how little time

•Intolerable and uncontrollable pain

•Shortness of breath

•Chest pain

•Uncontrollable bleeding

•Poisoning (call the Poison Control Center first to see if there are steps you can take at home 1-800-222-1222)

•Major trauma or injury, such as head injury, suspected broken bone, severe bite, severe burn, gunshot or knife wound

•Severe or worsening reaction to an insect bite or sting, or to a medication, especially if breathing is difficult

•Stupor, drowsiness, or disorientation that cannot be explained

•Numbness, weakness, change in vision or speech

•Sudden, severe headache

•If you feel for any reason that you have an emergency, you are encouraged to come to the ER to be screened

Physicians emphasized that if you ever have any question, a call to your family physician can usually direct you to an appropriate level of care. If you don’t have a regular family physician, you are urged to get one. Parkview Regional Hospital can be reached at 562-5332 for information on local physicians.

Officials at Parkview want to stress that the facility remains committed to serving the needs of their patients. In the past year, Parkview Regional Hospital provided well over $2 million in charity care to area residents and an additional $7 million in uncompensated care. Yet, despite these overwhelming numbers, the facility continues to grow and add state-of-the-art technology to ensure that area residents have access to the highest quality care.

“Above all, we want to stress that Parkview remains committed to serving the medical needs of our community,” explained Stuart. “The grand purpose behind all of this is to educate the community and to ensure that high-quality emergency care is available when our residents really need it.”