What to do about an ER doctor not treating a patient?
Hi, about 3 weeks ago, I went to OSU medical center because of severe lower back pain. The ER doctor didn’t really do anything, and gave me 20 Percocet and some muscle relaxers. About 1 week later, the pain was getting worse, so I went back. This time, the different DR came in the room, and all she said was, "I am sympathetic to your cause" When I asked her what she was talking about, she told me that I was just looking for drugs, and that she would note it in my file. Once again, no treatment. I went to my family DR today, and he explains to me that I have blood in my urine, and possibly kidney stones, which is making my back hurt so bad. It isn’t a muscle, it is my kidney. So, what do you think I should do, should I contact the news, an attorney? I don’t think that the ER that I went to did a very good job, and I don’t think they should get away with it. What if I would have had a severe issue? Why do doctors think everybody is looking for drugs?
Doctors, especially ER doctors, think everyone is looking for drugs because the majority of patients ARE looking for drugs.
As for reporting them, I ask, why? Did you suffer irreversible harm? A kidney stone is painful, but not life-threatening. The ER is for emergencies, and while we are sympathetic to renal stone patients, the truth is that there is often times life and death situations going on, so we treat you and let you go. You were treated appropriately for the complaint you presented with the first time.
I am sorry you feel slighted, but I understand why they thought you were drug-seeking. The biggest complaints we get from drug-seekers are back pain and "migraines." It sucks it’s come to what it has, but our peers are the ones to blame, not the doctors.
stick with the family Dr and get yourself healed
they all don’t ,just the overworked ones get tired of things at times
you do have a serious issue ,but your family Dr is looking after it and the other Dr’s are likely run off their feet and at times just guess what’s wrong and when someone does not look sick,they think about the drug thing =just let it be ,as you are getting the help you now need
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Emergency room doctors only treat severe or life threatening or critical injuries. Those with broken bones, bleeding or symptoms that show immediate surgery is required.
Back pain is not that severe.
I went in with a huge hernia and all they did was tell me to see my doctor.
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The reason you were treated that way is because those that are addicted to pain killers go through the E.R. to get them, because most E.R. docs just think that is the easiest way to deal with things. My ex-wife is one of the druggies who do this, bouncing from hospital to hospital. They felt you were and did not want to waste time on you.
Now you can, I believe, file a complaint to hospital and check into medical neglect or malpractice as well as discriminating and slander.
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Well i really think that you should go back to the same ER and go speak to the manager and report the second DR.
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You should at least write to your local paper, give them some bad press, as it is irresponsible and could have been very dangerous.
And to the person above me who said the ER is only for emergencies, kidney stones CAN be an emergency. A ureter can be blocked and rupture a kidney. Severe infection can cause permanent damage.
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Been there.
A lawyer or the news probably won’t be able to help very much unless you can prove "damages" or some kind of loss.
However, I would definitely write a letter to the hospital’s Director and include copies of the prescriptions and whatever notes are in your file about you "only wanting drugs" (you have a right to see that file and obtain copies of it). I’d also include a copy of your family doctor’s report that you have kidney stones. Such arrogance and diagnostic incompetence should go on record.
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Yeah, the second doctor probably thought you were med/drug seeking. They usually give you some pain medication to get you thru until you can get to your primary care physician. The second doc probably found it curious that you were back the following week and hadn’t gotten the problem resolved with your PCP. Although they wont give you anymore narcotics, they usually will give you an alternate to that.
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Doctors, especially ER doctors, think everyone is looking for drugs because the majority of patients ARE looking for drugs.
As for reporting them, I ask, why? Did you suffer irreversible harm? A kidney stone is painful, but not life-threatening. The ER is for emergencies, and while we are sympathetic to renal stone patients, the truth is that there is often times life and death situations going on, so we treat you and let you go. You were treated appropriately for the complaint you presented with the first time.
I am sorry you feel slighted, but I understand why they thought you were drug-seeking. The biggest complaints we get from drug-seekers are back pain and "migraines." It sucks it’s come to what it has, but our peers are the ones to blame, not the doctors.
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