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Originally Posted by statdoc
How do you think this would play out? He takes his non-English non-US citizen into any local county hospital (Parkland in Dallas, for instance), and translates the need for the medicine to the Triage Nurse. What will you imagine will happen then?
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Originally Posted by Quicksilver
I have no clue. I've never been to Parkland in Dallas. But it would be my guess that if this person urgently needs to get this HP medicine then any effort one makes would be better than sitting around arguing about what might happen.
All they could say is "No we can't help you or "yes we can give you a few pills to tie you over".
If it really is as important as the OP makes it out to be what's the harm in giving it a try. As I said it's a suggestion. Take it or leave it. I was just trying to help.
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Ah, my obviously self-reliant, healthy friend. Let me take you down this path.
Triage nurse takes vital signs, fills out 10-15 minutes worth of computerized forms, asking all sorts of info on past medical, social and family history issues. All will have to be done via translator, mind you.
Triage nurse then sends patient out to registration desk, where the financial info gathering begins. Without a US insurance card, they will be asked to sign all sorts of forms, IOU's, etc, probably making them feel as if they are cheats.
After every heart attack, gunshot wound, broken leg and asthma attack is treated, they will squeeze patient in to be seen. Might be 1 hour later, might be 7. Overworked, frazzled nurses and doctors will look at this situation as an annoyance. In comparison to the life & death struggles they are geared up for, someone is here because they left a prescription bottle at home? Sort of like asking a Navy Seal to teach a high school ROTC class. Just not the battle he is used to fighting.
The patient may grudgingly be written a prescription, after a cursory exam. An hour later, when the nurse is able to get to it, she will discharge the patient.
All that, compared with a walk-in clinic?The very concept of triage (prioritizing the sick) ensures this patient will be put at the back of the line in an ED. ED's are great when you are really ill or injured. However, minor stuff is really better seen & handled in an office/clinic setting.