Local hospitals hurt by abuse of the emergency room system

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Posted: 7:14 PM Sep 4, 2008
Last Updated: 7:19 AM Sep 5, 2008
Reporter: Maureen McFadden
Email Address: maureen.mcfadden@wndu.com

21 comments

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Emergency rooms are a part of the health care system and are required by federal law to provide care to all people, whether they can pay or not.

The problem is that many patients could be helped at other places, so that ER doctors could concentrate on those who really need help.

And it is a problem right here in Michiana.

Every day is a busy day in St. Joe Medical Center's ER, with a staff of 100 doctors, nurses, and technicians working around the clock.

But that staff is stretched thin.

Dr. Tom Sweeney says nearly half the beds are filled with the elderly, who often come in for the wrong reasons.

"The expectation is, ‘I have belly pain. I’m gonna have the answer now, not gonna do an outpatient test and follow up.’ You want the answer now," Sweeney explains.

And Sweeney has seen his share of abuse of the system. He once heard from someone who called an ambulance for a sore toe.

"They use it for a transportation source or they try to beat the system. They figure if they come in by ambulance they'll be seen faster. And then they come in the waiting room."

They wait because St. Joe -- like most hospitals -- triages their patients. That means those in the worst shape are treated first.

ER Director Gregor Staniszewski says the underinsured and uninsured often think the emergency room is their only solution.

"It's a huge, huge problem. We are seeing a lot of patients who are either underinsured or do not have a provider," he explains.

Staniszewski says there are doctors in Michiana willing to treat the uninsured, and they can always go to the Med Center's Family Practice Residency Clinic.

"We have a family practice clinic here in our hospital with residents, and they are looking for patients. They could see patients very easily with a short notification."

It would free up ER doctors for true emergencies, like those that crop up every Notre Dame Saturday.

"In a typical Notre Dame Stadium, we’re going to have at least one heart attack at the game. There's always gonna be at least a couple diabetic reactions. There's always going to be a seizure, there's always going to be…" says Sweeney. "It's just life."

Lives ER doctors want the time to save.

If you want information about seeing a doctor at the Family Practice Residency Clinic, you can call the hospital at 237-7111.

St. Joe Med Center also wants to remind people that the emergency room at their Mishawaka hospital is still open.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: Jennifer Location: Elkhart on Sep 11, 2008 at 08:53 PM
To urgent care RN, this is the girlfriend of Mike H. When the x ray was finally taken at the hospital is had not ruptured. Also, even with a possible appendicitis shouldn't that patient be seen before the kid with a non bleeding scrape on her knee? One is more life threatening than the other.

Posted by: Urgent Care RN on Sep 9, 2008 at 08:35 AM
Mike H-Please read your girlfriend's discharge papers. I'll bet the diagnosis is "Possible" or "Probable" Appendicitis. We do not have lab or CT scan testing available to us to give the diagnosis of definite appendicitis. Oh, and, there is also no way possible to know if her appendix ruptured while waiting in the ER. Lastly, if you were shot in the head in the parking lot of Cook County Hospital, chances are you would die, as the Nurses and staff are not allowed to leave the building to retrieve a patient for saftey reasons. Memorial and SJRMC staff would come out and bring you in.

Posted by: to er eddie Location: SB on Sep 6, 2008 at 08:31 AM
What part of the article did you read? dr sweeney did not say that he was pissed or that it was bs how people abuse the system. he simply stated how it is and explained the situation.

Posted by: HUH? Location: South Bend on Sep 6, 2008 at 03:22 AM
If the ERs are being overused, then tell the so-called free clinics to stop telling people to 'fake' a heart attack so they can be seen. My husband recently came back to Indiana, without any insurance and needed to see a doctor about high blood pressure. After ALL the 'free' clinics turned him down, they actually told him to do that. THERE'S where your misuse comes from, too!

Posted by: H on Sep 6, 2008 at 02:06 AM
Billy- I agree with your question, who is responsible for this abuse? I cannot wait to move away from these lazy pieces of s*&%^.

Posted by: Haa Location: Granger on Sep 5, 2008 at 09:36 PM
Well we can see what side of town Eddie is on LOL! Nope, they will get the classier population with the working class folk! The medicaid and free ride people will have to go elsewhere!

Posted by: er eddie on Sep 5, 2008 at 03:13 PM
it's the way the system is. you're open 24/7 people, are going to show up no mater what the reason. if dr sweeney doesn't like it, he should into family practice or internal medicine. they sit around in the er with the expectation that all that comes in is trauma. trauma is way down and besides all the real trauma goes to memorial. it's been this way for many many years, i worked there for 22 years. nothing has changed. buck up, when you move to douglas road, no one will come in, way to far to go.

Posted by: I feel like a DONKEY Location: South Bend on Sep 5, 2008 at 02:31 PM
If you hade a STATE medicade card they will see you. They swipe that like a visa GOLD card I notice awhile back but I am sur The Attorney General caught on to the WHITE COLLAR Crime Scandel ...LMAO

Posted by: Homer Location: Plymouth on Sep 5, 2008 at 11:54 AM
This is what happens when people have no health insurance and don't have money to pay to go to the doctor. They can't go to a doctor's office without paying up front, so they end up at the ER where they can't be turned away. The only way to stop this is make healthcare available to everyone wheter they can pay for it or not. Even Cuba has that.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: south bend on Sep 5, 2008 at 10:55 AM
It's not just elderly patients how about the medicaid individuals who use it for non-emergency reasons such as a runny nose or possible they need a pregnancy test. I work in the medical field and see this on a daily basis. They sleep all day and then want to be seen just before the office close and if they can't be squeezed in then " They have medicaid it'll pay for them to be seen at ER " That's are tax dollars at work!

Posted by: Deirdre Location: Plymouth on Sep 5, 2008 at 10:55 AM
I was an EMT in Fulton County for awhile and I distinctly remember a woman who called 911 saying she could not get up from a fall, had no one to call to take her to the hospital, yadda, yadda....When we got there, (using lights and sirens), she was sitting out front, in a lawn chair, with her bags packed. Meanwhile, there was an accident in the county, with injuries, one of them very serious, but we were taking "Miss I Don't Have a Ride" to the hospital. If you need a cab, call one!!

Posted by: Scott Location: South Bend on Sep 5, 2008 at 10:40 AM
Maybe all of the SJRMC Clinics spread out all around Michiana could have later or 24 hour service to take the load off of the ER locations.

Posted by: Cindy Location: Mishawaka on Sep 5, 2008 at 10:24 AM
This story is so true. I went to the ER because I fell. Found out I broke my ankle and foot. I saw people in the waiting room, that where waiting to be seen. They where laughing, eating having a good'ol time. I thought to myself "why are they here and what could possibly be wrong with them?" Be smart. Use the Emergency Room for just that EMERGENCIES!!!

Posted by: Ann Location: Elkhart on Sep 5, 2008 at 09:48 AM
I am thankful for all hospital staff in every hospital. Qualified medical staff is a blessing in America. I appreciate this story and helping to make people aware of this problem.

Posted by: Bob Location: SB on Sep 5, 2008 at 09:30 AM
Time to cut the illegals off. We all know what is going on, lets do something about it, before these bas**rds run our system further in debt.

Posted by: a mom Location: south bend on Sep 5, 2008 at 08:23 AM
Great article!! I know for a fact this happens even more often at Memorial. That is why so many people will be loosing or have already lost their jobs. Too bad the people that abuse the system won't even read this. They don't read the paper watch the news or go online to check out what is happening in our community. THEY DON'T CARE about anything but themselves and what they can get for free. Many of them use the emergency system as their own personal physicians. They get a free ride (either by ambulance or cab) and free medical treatment. All paid for by guess who, those of us that are employed and paying taxes.

Posted by: julie on Sep 5, 2008 at 08:15 AM
I never even knew about the family practice residency clinic until reading this

Posted by: Margaret Location: South Bend on Sep 5, 2008 at 06:03 AM
This just shows how stupid some people are. I expect abuse of the ER from those that are uninsured/underinsured, but I never expected to hear that seniors abuse the ER. I thought that they had more common sense.

Posted by: Mike H Location: Elkhart on Sep 4, 2008 at 09:02 PM
Took my girlfriend to Memorial Hospital a month or so ago. We were sent there by Med-Point and they called ahead telling the hospital she had an appendicitous. We arrived at 9pm. Sat in the waiting room for 3 hours. Then in the emergency room for over another hour before seeing a doctor. He chose to check her uterous even though 2 other doctors, plus himself stated it was the appendix......in turn causing her more stress, pain, and wasting time. By the time they got done playing games and got her to surgery, it was 8am. A full 12 hours after going to Med Point and 11 hours after arriving at the hospital. During that time, the appendix ruptured, and she spent 7 days in the hospital instead of 1. Sure people in the waiting room were took ahead of us whom should not have been. But who's fault is that? The HOSPITAL! They should ask them to go somewhere else. I will never go to Memorial again........for nothing. I don't care if I get shot in the head infront of the building.

Posted by: Dustin Location: Mishawaka on Sep 4, 2008 at 08:47 PM
It probably did not help that John McCain said that all Americans already have health coverage: the emergency room.

Posted by: Billy on Sep 4, 2008 at 07:55 PM
Does anyone not know what segment of our population is responsible for this abuse?