RedAirplane
Forum Asst. Chief
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Hello all, I've been offline for a while but now working 911/IFT on top of what I was doing before. I'm trying to wrap my head around the course our patients take once they reach a medical facility.
1. There are some public/charity hospitals that serve needs of the uninsured/underinsured. However, it is also my understanding that complex medical cases can enroll for Medicaid retroactively. So, what role do these public facilities serve if a patient can get their care covered retroactively from any facility? Do Medicaid or uninsured patients routinely get transferred out?
2. Do physicians directly admit their patients to hospital anymore? If not, how does continuity of care work? Not infrequently a 911 patient calls because their doctors office told them to call. We will then transport according to protocol and there will generally not be any record, besides the patients account, of the patients previous history, what's wrong now, and perhaps why a headache is now requiring possible admission. Further their doctor may not have visiting privileges at the hospital we end up at, probably making following the patient even harder.
3. Silly question, but I'm struggling to figure out the answer. For a hospital with no emergency services, how do you get in? Is it admissions from a physicians office only? What services would require a hospital stay but not an ER visit?
Any insight you have would be great. Not directly related to EMS, but would help me get a better picture of the experience my patients have with the healthcare system.
1. There are some public/charity hospitals that serve needs of the uninsured/underinsured. However, it is also my understanding that complex medical cases can enroll for Medicaid retroactively. So, what role do these public facilities serve if a patient can get their care covered retroactively from any facility? Do Medicaid or uninsured patients routinely get transferred out?
2. Do physicians directly admit their patients to hospital anymore? If not, how does continuity of care work? Not infrequently a 911 patient calls because their doctors office told them to call. We will then transport according to protocol and there will generally not be any record, besides the patients account, of the patients previous history, what's wrong now, and perhaps why a headache is now requiring possible admission. Further their doctor may not have visiting privileges at the hospital we end up at, probably making following the patient even harder.
3. Silly question, but I'm struggling to figure out the answer. For a hospital with no emergency services, how do you get in? Is it admissions from a physicians office only? What services would require a hospital stay but not an ER visit?
Any insight you have would be great. Not directly related to EMS, but would help me get a better picture of the experience my patients have with the healthcare system.