Thread: Public hospital system..A real eye opener

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

I'm not sure where you're coming from with this comment.

going by the rest of what you have said, a lot has changed in 5 years. or its different in SA hospitals

My daughter is a type 1 diabetic and has jujst gone through a pregnancy. Twice she went to casualty dept with very high sugar levels which she could not reduce at home. Believe me she never had time to sit down but was whisked straight in for treatment. Nurses and drs were the best. Jim

It all depends on peoples idea of an emergency if you go into an ED with a stubbed toe and think its life threatening your in for a long wait. Some people will always slip through the system and wait to long but I don't know of a health care system of our size any where in the world that works better or too the standard that we have

We do have systems in place to stop people falling through the cracks but EDs nationwide are being stretched to breaking point. Mistakes happen.

I have no doubt that sometimes people arriving via ambulance get seen a little quicker than others, but it is also the case that ambulance arrivals often get walked out to the waiting room. It will be a kick in the pants for the patient when they get the bill and still waited for hours in the waiting room.

In country areas, where there are limited ambulances available to cover large regions the ED will try to work with the ambos and empty their stretcher quickly. But don't count on it.

Diana, do you still cringe at the sound of a siren?
My mate still does!

I received a text this morning asking what was going on as there were sirens everywhere and as a consequence her adrenaline had ramped up, even though I was in a cafe in my home village 40km away at the time.
Luckily a quick call to my RFS Captain revealed it was just a diesel spill in the main street of town.
Stress levels in the ED instantly lowered!

Originally Posted by rick130

Diana, do you still cringe at the sound of a siren?
My mate still does!
...!

No but the sound of a Telstra Touchfone 2000 does! Thats the one they use as the "Bat Phone" from Ambulance Control.

Like the time "Lifesaver 1" was hovering 500 feet above the landing pad at 3.00am demanding we turn on the landing lights. All go from then for the next hour or so.

Do people realise that when they are still on an Ambulance stretcher, they haven't actually arrived in the ED.

Ive just been silly and cut half a digit and brocken a bone.3 weeks ago.

the problem only starts when you go to hospital.memorise you birth date.write it on your head.

I went to the GP that attached my finger then was driven to hospital.

Emergency saw me in a few minutes---and took a few hours doing paper work to cover their arse--one lot incase of workcover-another as private patient.--------

then--2 days of nil by mouth waiting for a spot in the que.

and older gent took my spot--needed it--also took my name tags.

then my return to my bed--the plan was to move me to another ward--to discharge me.

then visit to GP-and specialist--suppling notes by memory to workcover-as it takes weeks to get them from hospital.my case manager works one day a week-my GP ticked the totally disabled box.

I just had 2 week holidays in NZ--and the paper work has just arrived today.

I have an appointment with specialist on the 9th..but ive runout of medication.

On Workcover, you should have been able to go to a private hospital, but then again I don't know if I'd trust the care being in a .....