Quote:
Originally Posted by hamster-bamster
I so much hate the way it is set up in the US for most of the cases: you have to go through ER to get treatment. If a p-doc believes his patient needs hospitalization, there oughta be a way of his admitting the patient without the hurdle and huge expense of ER.
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There generally is. If my pdoc knows I am going to the hospital, he can call ahead of time and let them know I am coming. The rule for direct admission in that hospital (it might be a Texas law but I can't swear to it) is that if a patient has been seen by a physician within 3 or 4 days (can't remember the exact perameters) before admission, direct admission can be done without having to go through ER. My pdoc always tries to see me, if only for a few minutes in his office on my way to the hospital, so that I don't have to go through the long ER process. He's even met me outside the psych floor doors so as to be able to directly admit me. The ER process isn't horrible or anything, but it is hours long. He much prefers to help me avoid it.