i worked as an admissions clerk to an e/r. every other weekend i had the weekend shift, i worked 7a-7p saturday and sunday. that is when my facebook recieved the most attention. that is also where i came up with this gem…i had more tips, but i ran out of room then, and have since forgotten what they were.
enjoy!
Erin’s Top Tips for visiting and registering in the E/R:
1. Bring your own pen. Seriously, do you know how many people have touched the pens sitting at the registration desk? Especially during the winter season when every other person is sick. Eww!
2. Know what your E/R co-pay is and be prepared to pay it. The co-pay is not something you are billed for, co-pay is due at the time of service, just like when you go to your doctor’s office. If you do not have insurance, you will still be expected to pay something for your visit. Here we ask for a $100 down payment and then ask you how much of a pymt you will be able to make a month. Just because you don’t have insurance, your visit was not free!
3. Really think about what you are coming to the E/R for. If your arm is falling off, you have a bread knife sticking out of your throat, you are puking up blood, you cannot breathe, you have suddenly gone blind…please come visit us. If you have the sniffles, a paper cut, a bad hair day, you are lonely, or your boyfriend of three days has not called you in two hours…buy some tissues, put a band-aid on it, visit your hair dresser, buy a cat or call him, but DO NOT come to the E/R…we will laugh at you…and then charge you $900. cheers!
4. Unless you have an immuno deficiency disorder, possible chicken pox on a Sunday is not a reason to come to the E/R for your 10 year old.
5. Know your insurance. If you have multiple insurances, know which is primary, secondary, tertiary, etc.
6. If you are bringing in your significant other or child, know their insurances as well and what order they are in. Few things are more annoying than someone coming in, flipping through their spouses’ wallet and proclaiming “I don’t know what insurance s/he has!”. This is your life partner for crying out loud! This is one of those things you should know!
7. This one is just more helpful for the registration associate: When the form you are filling out asks for your name, if you could put down exactly what is on your insurance card, that would be great. Example: Your name is John Ray Doe, your insurance card has you as John Doe and you go by Ray…put down John Doe as your name. Oh, and while yes we put in your last name first, don’t write your name in as Doe, John…just put it down normally please.
8. This is a legal issue: We CANNOT tell you how long your wait is going to be. It is the law. Your wait right at this moment could be 10 mins, but within those 10 mins we have an ambulance com in with a critical patient, your wait has just jumped to two hours and now you are mad at me because I told you 10 mins. DO NOT ask how long the wait will be. If I told you, I would be breaking the law, and that is one I choose not to break.
Please enjoy your stay =)
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