Have you had problems receiving care from an emergency room?

I'm sorry your husband was not able to be treated sooner. How is he now??? our health system is, of course, very different. On the one hand, we are lucky as we do not get billed at the point of use for our medical treatment (working people pay for everyone through their taxes and national Insurance contributions) but, to only have 5 people ahead of you when you arrive at our A&E (ER equivalent) would be a very rare occurrence and, sadly, it is not unusual for people to wait hours to be seen after triage and longer still for a bed if they are admitted to hospital. There are signs up saying that anyone deemed to be in greater need will be seen first. The staff take a great deal of abuse from patients and relatives.

I can really relate to this, seriously even some other places too, my mother wants to get an operation for her leg and she has been sent the run around. I mean she made an appointment to see her a particular doctor who had treated her in the past, only to be given another doctor, then she left asking to see her doctor only to be made fool of and given another set of excuses and maybes. I don't think that is fair and that just because some people might not have private health insurance they should not be treated so differently, as they already revealed this to her too, and suggested she pay for this. Not everyone can afford even those extra things in life. It is not fair and it really is a kick in the guts too how people are treated not just in the emergency rooms but by some doctors and staff, where is the care? Seriously I think these people should not be even have entered in this field of work. People already have to stress about their illness or injury without having to worry about the people who are supposed to be there to help them out "supposedly".

You are probably exactly right, unfortunately. However if you were not an emergency they can triage people ahead of you that they will say need care faster than you. Honestly I would write a letter to the CEO of the hospital, and tell him how you feel. Let him know whether you have unpaid bills or not they are required by law to see anyone that enters their hospital, and you don't appreciate being treated like a third class citizen.

hi there rox, Almost the same thing happened to me.I am having this severe headache,nausea & vomiting when my doctor decided I should get admitted as I am getting dehydrated.I went to the emergency room,they took my insurance to check & leave me on the corner,did not even took my vital signs.A lot of people are also waiting & they keep telling them ,there are no rooms available.I am about to faint when one nurse noticed me,he then started to check my signs & again the admitting person told me,still no rooms available but can hear them that the only available room are private & just a guess they're reserving it to VIPs.I told them,I'll get that room,they look at me as if trying to check if I can afford it,I feel so bad feeling so sick that even if I wanted to leave I cannot.I am not really a bad person but told them,check my insurance so you will know what's my category,when they found out that it's a platinum ( highest category).They are so fast in giving me a private room.It only indicates that instead of helping sick people,they are still looking on their status.It is really bad for people who oath to help people instead they will check first if you can afford it before they took care of you.