Although primarily meant for urgent medical conditions, over half the number of visits to emergency rooms in America are non-urgent. Why do so many people report conditions which are non-life-threatening to emergency rooms?
Emergency rooms were invented or rather brought closer to people, so that urgent medical conditions can be addressed quickly. To Americans though, emergency rooms are hospital alternatives and even the slightest of cuts are reported here. So, what are the main reasons why non-emergencies are reported to emergency rooms? What are some of the non-emergency reasons to visit an emergency room?
Reasons Why People Report Non-Emergencies to Emergency Rooms
Information gap
There is a lack of information on what emergency rooms are meant for. A lot of Americans treat emergency rooms as small ‘hospitals’ and any medical condition therefore, should be reported here.
Misconceptions
There are lots and myths about diseases that make people head over to emergency rooms. Most of these myths and misconceptions are fueled by internet diagnosis which makes people nervous and they end up in emergency rooms when their medical conditions are not as bad.
Doctor reimbursement
Doctors sometimes send patients to Emergency Rooms because of various reasons. Some doctors are scared of getting sued if something bad happens to you if they take too long to treat you. Even patients with less serious conditions end up in emergency rooms because of this.
Proximity to neighborhoods
Emergency rooms are popping up everywhere and this means they are closer to people than other medical facilities. People will obviously opt for a facility that is closest to them and this is exactly why emergency rooms receive non-emergency conditions.
Emergency rooms will never turn patients away
The fact that people always get the services they require in emergency rooms, makes them want to come back again and again. Even if the case is not serious, emergency rooms will not turn you away and will provide the care needed.
Top Non-emergency Reasons to Visit Emergency Rooms
Small cuts
Small cuts and bruises which are otherwise harmless and will end up healing on their own are common reasons for visits to emergency rooms. A simple first aid can take care of the bruise or cut but people just freak out when they see blood and they end up in emergency rooms.
Colds
Colds are very common and they are mild medical conditions which are deemed harmless. Surprisingly though, these colds account for more than 10% of all the emergency room visits in the country. Over the counter medication can heal these simple colds but Americans don’t want to take any chance and they will report these colds to the emergency room.
Bug bites
Small animal and bug bites are the other non-urgent condition that is common in emergency rooms. Insect bites and stings can be very painful but most of them are relatively harmless and the symptoms will fade away on their own. Because of uncertainty though, Americans report even a mosquito bite to an emergency room.
Mild fevers
Fevers might be indicative of deep underlying infections but most mild fevers are normal and shouldn’t give you sleepless nights. The reality in emergency rooms tends to suggest otherwise because there are very many reported cases of mild fevers in emergency rooms.
Sprains
Minor injuries and sprains are not life-threatening by any means. This however, does not stop people from reporting them to emergency rooms across the country. Ideally, only limb-threatening accidents and trauma should be reported to emergency rooms and not minor injuries and sprains.
Ear infections
Ear infections are considered non-urgent because they pose no immediate threat to one’s life. They however can be very invasive and cause a lot of pain. This perhaps explains why a lot of people report them to emergency rooms as soon as they discover them.
Minor burns
Scalds and minor burns are common in households. Unless the burn is severe and poses a threat to one’s life, it is regarded as a non-urgent medical condition. A lot of people will rush to the nearest emergency room as soon as they get a small burn for urgent care.
Pink eye
Pink eye and other minor eye problems like itchiness are very common reasons for non-urgent visits to emergency rooms. Contrary to common belief, these are mild infections and cannot cause blindness.
Although it is better to stay safe than sorry, there are some cases which don’t need to be reported to emergency rooms. If you have to report these conditions, urgent care centers should be the ideal place to do this.
Here at Frontline Emergency Room White Rock Lake Dallas, TX, we offer high quality no wait emergency care services provided by board certified physicians and registered nurses. Day or night, we are always available to serve you and offer the care you need.
If you are in Richmond or Dallas and are looking for an emergency room for urgent medical care, look no further than our way. For more information on our services, give us a call today and we will gladly be of service.
