Need the Emergency Room? Skip the Wait

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Freestanding ERs are just an instacare with highly trained medical staff. If you are really sick, don't go to a freestanding ER. Yes you can get treatment started, but if the real hospital is less than 15 minutes down the road, and you are really sick, you will go right in. I see it an no more than a funnel to get people from a highly insured area, quicker care start, so that they can be sent to the affiliated hospital 15 minutes away, instead of the closer hospital 5 minutes away.
Highly trained ER staff, wasted on stitches, sniffles, and pre-admitting for the real hospital. If you are going to call it an ER, build it connected to a hospital.

A. B. Key of UT 2:05PM November 07, 2010

Regardless of the population that is being served, everyone wins in this situation. Those being seen at the FSER get good service, and those visiting the traditional ER get a less crowded ER experience.
LC

Luke of TX 11:00AM October 06, 2010

I think this is a wonderful idea and saves time and money; like the earlier comments,the time factors and the convenience is of great benefit. I have personally experienced regular E/R visits and the wait and uncertainty, the anxiety added to the trauma.
We certainly need more facilities which could provide the service withhout the crowds and extended wait period.
Thurston H.

thurston h of TX 11:18AM March 23, 2009

I live in Houston & after being injured during the post hurricane cleanup waited 14 hours to have my fracture set at the reputed model for all ERs(Ben Taub hospital).What caused me to leave before I was seen ,was the double barrel salvo of not only witnessing Obama operatives trying to sign up people in agony but having a polite inquiry of mine ignored by a pair of young MDs as they breezed out the exit to a waiting Range Rover.Got the picture?

" J" of TX 10:12AM October 25, 2008

It is no surprise that posters here are unable to recognize the remarkable genious of a center like this one in Houston Texas. I have worked in healthcare all of my life and have only recently been a patient at the Emergency Health Centre. I must say that I was very skeptical of the claims of this place as well. I have to say that this place blew away my preconcieved ideas of a freestanding ER. I expected an urgent care or "doc in the box" kind of place, but this is absolutely the real deal. There are many many independant facilities that use emergency in their name but this place goes above and beyond to deliver the goods in a real emergency. I got a tour from the doctor and I almost forgot I was in a freestanding center, it looks and feels just like the best hospital emergency room I have ever seen. They even have blood in stock just in case. I would only say to those people who are skeptical that you should takea closer look before you disparage this facility. This kind of place everywhere could be the answer to long waits in hospital ERs. As long as I am in Houston, I dont think I would ever go back to the hospital ER again.

Rockreation of TX 6:27PM October 04, 2008

The freestanding ER described in the article is nothing more than an upscale Acute Care Clinic which certainly serves a vital purpose because if the inadequate of "medical homes". This is because there are not enough primary care physicians to treat the bulk of the walk in patients that flood the ED's in the hospitals which has led to the developement of these entrepreneural enterprises, which indeed do provide a need.
The real answer is to establish a higher incentive for careers in primary care, principally in Family Medicine as well as Pediatrics and General Internal Medicine. The problem with the later two PCP's is that the majority of them enter subspecialties and are not available to provide primary care during the day, take calls at home at night and weekends and even have office hours on saturdays like in the old days.
We need to pay to play and this means incentives in medical school payments and/or better reimbursement from Medicaid/care and all the managed care companies.

Tim Coleridge, DO, FACOEP, FACOFM of TX 10:48PM September 19, 2008

I work at EHC the pictured facility above. It is more than a spa. This is a top notch ED facility. I am an ER nurse with 17 yrs experience who is ACLS, BCLS, TNCC, ENPC, PALS and ACTN. We have taken care of numerous MI's with door to cut time less than 45 minutes that is better than the national average. Don't think we only take care of minor things because that isn't true. We had a lady during the hurricane IKE that came in with respiratory distress we turned her around with bi-pap. Also we were the only Emergency Center open in the entire area. Lock down was not an option for us. We are a full fuctioning ED not a clinic or a doctor's office. A little respect is warranted, and would definately be appreciated.

errngirl911 of TX 6:38PM September 18, 2008

This is a great idea whose time has come. I've always said that states would save a fortune if they set up these 'triage' clinics to take people w/ the flu, colds, ear infections, basic breaks, etc. Have round the clock staffing such as nurse practitioners & family doctors. Leaving the traditional ERs clear to handle heart attacks, strokes, car accidents, etc. The clinics can stand side by side w/ a traditional ER, so that patients can go to either unit as needed.

Diana D of CA 5:52PM September 18, 2008