Are you entitled to see a doctor if you're at the ER?

[Anonymous]

Anyone can administer a malaria test--I wouldn't go to the ER for that. Any travel medicine clinic can handle that (likely in a more competent way, because that's what their professionals specialize in). Even when my kid needed stitches at Children's Hospitals, he only saw a PA. It was what he was deemed to need--there's no rule that you see a doctor just because you choose to go to the ER. (Lots of people go to the ER for stupid reasons, or because they don't have health insurance and need immediate care.)

[Anonymous]

Did the ask you the "Have you visited a foreign country in the last month?" question?

If not, they were being negligent.

[Anonymous]

Is it an RN or NP that is assessing you. An RN can do an assessment but they won't diagnose - you would still see a doctor. If it is an NP then they can assess and diagnose and you don't need to see a doctor.

[Anonymous]

EMTALA ensures at you ae entitled to an appropriate medical screening examination by a licensed provider. You must be treated if you are not stable, but if you are stable, you can be transferred to another facility or recommended to follow up with a regular clinic physician.

"If the patient does not have an "emergency medical condition", the statute imposes no further obligation on the hospital." http://www.emtala.com/faq.html

Regarding whether the examination and treatment needs to be by a physician:

The person who does the examination must be specifically determined to be a "qualified medical person" by the hospital bylaws. The hospital must make the designation in its bylaws or rules and regulations. The regulation also provides that the person must "meet the requirements of 42 CFR 482.55", although that rule really has no substantive requirements.

Generally PAs and NPs are required to work under the purview of a licensed physician, but check with your state requirements for more information.

OP, if it's an emergency, go to an ED. If it's not an emergency, go to your PCP's office or an Urgent Care facility. Wherever you go, if you re happy with the care you receive or the provider's credentials, you can request to see another person or a physician, but they do not have to accommodate you.

This is important: To get what you want, your best bet is not to go in with a chip on your shoulder. Seek information, ask questions, and respectfully ask questions in return. You should be treated respectfully, too.

[Anonymous]

PS: Totally agree with the travel clinic recommendation, unless you can't get in as a timely manner. That's your best bet for appropriate care in this circumstance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PS: Totally agree with the travel clinic recommendation, unless you can't get in as a timely manner. That's your best bet for appropriate care in this circumstance.

Op here. I called travel clinic's, urgent care and the health department. Everyone said to go to the ER. A doctor did show up a few minutes after I posted this. The doctor said they're admitting me to stay tonight. I hope I don't have anything serious. I have had a fever, chills, sweating and headaches for 6 days now. I hope it's only the flu but it's better to be safe. I am in a new city without a regular doctor. It hasn't been easy to figure care out.

[Anonymous]

I'm glad you are getting taken care of. Best of luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PS: Totally agree with the travel clinic recommendation, unless you can't get in as a timely manner. That's your best bet for appropriate care in this circumstance.

Op here. I called travel clinic's, urgent care and the health department. Everyone said to go to the ER. A doctor did show up a few minutes after I posted this. The doctor said they're admitting me to stay tonight. I hope I don't have anything serious. I have had a fever, chills, sweating and headaches for 6 days now. I hope it's only the flu but it's better to be safe. I am in a new city without a regular doctor. It hasn't been easy to figure care out.

Something doesn't add up.

You called a travel clinic. They told you to go to the ER. So instead, you called an urgent care facility. They told you to go to the ER. So instead of going, you called the health department? I'm sensing a pattern that you don't take instructions well.

You've had a fever for 6 days with chills, headache and sweating and you think it's life threatening because what?

You don't think a nurse can help diagnose what you have because why?

OP, you're obviously a youngster and you have a fever. A regular ol fever. I hate to break it to you but it's not life threatening and you will live to see another day.

Go eat some ice cream, calm down and you'll be better in a few days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PS: Totally agree with the travel clinic recommendation, unless you can't get in as a timely manner. That's your best bet for appropriate care in this circumstance.

Op here. I called travel clinic's, urgent care and the health department. Everyone said to go to the ER. A doctor did show up a few minutes after I posted this. The doctor said they're admitting me to stay tonight. I hope I don't have anything serious. I have had a fever, chills, sweating and headaches for 6 days now. I hope it's only the flu but it's better to be safe. I am in a new city without a regular doctor. It hasn't been easy to figure care out.

Something doesn't add up.

You called a travel clinic. They told you to go to the ER. So instead, you called an urgent care facility. They told you to go to the ER. So instead of going, you called the health department? I'm sensing a pattern that you don't take instructions well.

You've had a fever for 6 days with chills, headache and sweating and you think it's life threatening because what?

You don't think a nurse can help diagnose what you have because why?

OP, you're obviously a youngster and you have a fever. A regular ol fever. I hate to break it to you but it's not life threatening and you will live to see another day.

Go eat some ice cream, calm down and you'll be better in a few days.

PP--Op initially posted in another thread so you probably missed the background. Her fever started in India and has continued since she came back. She was trying various options other than the ER because her DH started a new job and hasn't yet chosen his health insurance option.

As you can see from what OP has just posted, the ER has decided to keep her in the hospital overnight for observation.

OP--Please let us know how this works out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PS: Totally agree with the travel clinic recommendation, unless you can't get in as a timely manner. That's your best bet for appropriate care in this circumstance.

Op here. I called travel clinic's, urgent care and the health department. Everyone said to go to the ER. A doctor did show up a few minutes after I posted this. The doctor said they're admitting me to stay tonight. I hope I don't have anything serious. I have had a fever, chills, sweating and headaches for 6 days now. I hope it's only the flu but it's better to be safe. I am in a new city without a regular doctor. It hasn't been easy to figure care out.

Something doesn't add up.

You called a travel clinic. They told you to go to the ER. So instead, you called an urgent care facility. They told you to go to the ER. So instead of going, you called the health department? I'm sensing a pattern that you don't take instructions well.

You've had a fever for 6 days with chills, headache and sweating and you think it's life threatening because what?

You don't think a nurse can help diagnose what you have because why?

OP, you're obviously a youngster and you have a fever. A regular ol fever. I hate to break it to you but it's not life threatening and you will live to see another day.

Go eat some ice cream, calm down and you'll be better in a few days.

What is wrong with you pp? She has been to Asia recently. A fever is considered malaria until proven otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Oh come on, nobody wants to head to the ER. In this case it's of course warranted as the OP could have some infectious disease brought in from abroad. It's good that they are keeping you in and will try to figure out what's going on.

[Anonymous]

It is not uncommon to see the nurse several times before seeing the doctor. As you have found.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PS: Totally agree with the travel clinic recommendation, unless you can't get in as a timely manner. That's your best bet for appropriate care in this circumstance.

Op here. I called travel clinic's, urgent care and the health department. Everyone said to go to the ER. A doctor did show up a few minutes after I posted this. The doctor said they're admitting me to stay tonight. I hope I don't have anything serious. I have had a fever, chills, sweating and headaches for 6 days now. I hope it's only the flu but it's better to be safe. I am in a new city without a regular doctor. It hasn't been easy to figure care out.

Something doesn't add up.

You called a travel clinic. They told you to go to the ER. So instead, you called an urgent care facility. They told you to go to the ER. So instead of going, you called the health department? I'm sensing a pattern that you don't take instructions well.

You've had a fever for 6 days with chills, headache and sweating and you think it's life threatening because what?

You don't think a nurse can help diagnose what you have because why?

OP, you're obviously a youngster and you have a fever. A regular ol fever. I hate to break it to you but it's not life threatening and you will live to see another day.

Go eat some ice cream, calm down and you'll be better in a few days.

What is wrong with you pp? She has been to Asia recently. A fever is considered malaria until proven otherwise.

Um, no. Did you get your medical degree from Trump University? Because that's 100% wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PS: Totally agree with the travel clinic recommendation, unless you can't get in as a timely manner. That's your best bet for appropriate care in this circumstance.

Op here. I called travel clinic's, urgent care and the health department. Everyone said to go to the ER. A doctor did show up a few minutes after I posted this. The doctor said they're admitting me to stay tonight. I hope I don't have anything serious. I have had a fever, chills, sweating and headaches for 6 days now. I hope it's only the flu but it's better to be safe. I am in a new city without a regular doctor. It hasn't been easy to figure care out.

Something doesn't add up.

You called a travel clinic. They told you to go to the ER. So instead, you called an urgent care facility. They told you to go to the ER. So instead of going, you called the health department? I'm sensing a pattern that you don't take instructions well.

You've had a fever for 6 days with chills, headache and sweating and you think it's life threatening because what?

You don't think a nurse can help diagnose what you have because why?

OP, you're obviously a youngster and you have a fever. A regular ol fever. I hate to break it to you but it's not life threatening and you will live to see another day.

Go eat some ice cream, calm down and you'll be better in a few days.

What is wrong with you pp? She has been to Asia recently. A fever is considered malaria until proven otherwise.

This is the PP who questioned OP. I'll bite on your response.

So, apparently she contracted a fever in a foreign country (India) prior to arriving back home in the states. Yet when directed by 3 different medical establishments to go to the ER she still waits 6 days before she decides to go to the ER? Then she complains about not having a doctor at her beck and call because she has a life threatening disease?

She sounds like a narcissistic alarmist. Even if it is malaria, which I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that it's not, it's not always fatal. According to the CDC, it is sometimes fatal.

Don't wait 6 days before going to the ER, ignoring sound health advice from 3 different medical professionals, and cry life threatening disease when you arrive at the ER. Not a good look.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PS: Totally agree with the travel clinic recommendation, unless you can't get in as a timely manner. That's your best bet for appropriate care in this circumstance.

Op here. I called travel clinic's, urgent care and the health department. Everyone said to go to the ER. A doctor did show up a few minutes after I posted this. The doctor said they're admitting me to stay tonight. I hope I don't have anything serious. I have had a fever, chills, sweating and headaches for 6 days now. I hope it's only the flu but it's better to be safe. I am in a new city without a regular doctor. It hasn't been easy to figure care out.

Something doesn't add up.

You called a travel clinic. They told you to go to the ER. So instead, you called an urgent care facility. They told you to go to the ER. So instead of going, you called the health department? I'm sensing a pattern that you don't take instructions well.

You've had a fever for 6 days with chills, headache and sweating and you think it's life threatening because what?

You don't think a nurse can help diagnose what you have because why?

OP, you're obviously a youngster and you have a fever. A regular ol fever. I hate to break it to you but it's not life threatening and you will live to see another day.

Go eat some ice cream, calm down and you'll be better in a few days.

What is wrong with you pp? She has been to Asia recently. A fever is considered malaria until proven otherwise.

Um, no. Did you get your medical degree from Trump University? Because that's 100% wrong.

I think PP was speaking loosely. If you got a fever while traveling in a number of countries like India and still have it on return, an ER would put a variety of tropical diseases, including malaria, on the list of possible diagnoses and would want to rule them out before releasing you.