What do you mean "inundated by everyday business?"
You mean by people without health insurance coming in for
non-emergency treatment?
That kind of crap doesn't really happen, does it?
I wasn't making a point about insurance. Just about ERs who can't pay
attention because they're too busy. If they weren't so inundated by
everyday business, perhaps they would have noticed this guy taking a
powder in their waiting room.
Anyone who interviews a patient coming in with pains in his arm knows
that it's within reason he's having a cardiac episode.
Why not at this ER. Stupid or just too busy to notice?
Maybe this guy had "the best insurance in the world" and died
because ER attention was being given to the uninsured.
You can google "stress emergency room" to get a clue.
All I know is a number of pols say "Everybody can get care in America.
Just go to the emergency room."
Of course maybe it was just his time to go.
Who knows.
--Vic
It appears the dead guy did have pretty good insurance, he was a
public school employee in Philadelphia (the web site says Aetna or
Blue Cross).
This is just the problem of walking into a hospital alone and not
having a family member or friend directing your care.
Or maybe an admitting nurse with a brain or presence of mind to check
on him. Pains up and down the arm are a strong indicator of cardiac
trouble.
The hospital's insurance company will be compensating the family.
So, here's another reason our health insurance rates are high. The
hospitals have to figure in the costs of their ****ups into whatever
service they provide.