Alexia Stavrd

Review of Tufts Medical Center

Recently had to go to the ER for an issue that I h...

Recently had to go to the ER for an issue that I have been told, is an "emergency" and "not something to mess around with." Got there and was "warned" that they were very busy and that it could be 3 or 4 hours. I explained I was in incredible pain and knew what it was and had been told to get to the ER when in this situation. They said they would try their best but people have been waiting. I make my way over to the waiting area. There were about 10 people there. Some younger guy who had been waiting 3 hours but was on his phone and hanging with his friend, 8 or so other people who were all asleep and me, sweat rolling off my face from pain, doubled over, tearing up and everything else. To paint you a better picture of the clientele, one guy strolled past me yelling that he had to be seen. You see, he had a "god damn headache" and "needed an Advil or something." I hear the kid tell this character it is going to be several hours. The guy said he didn't care, waltzed over to the waiting room, curled up in a chair and proceeded to go to sleep. Time is ticking, I feel like death from the abdominal pain and beg them to either take me ahead of these people who are sleeping and won't know, or ask a doctor if I can at least get some form of a pain med so I could reduce the pain and join the ER waiting room slumber party. Someone says they will go ask. 15 minutes later, I am, through very deep breaths and tears, asking if anyone had checked. Someone offers to go check if indeed, someone had checked. Fantastic. Kid eventually comes back and says "The doctor said not to take anything until they can assess you." Not at all surprising but again, Hello. I don't mean to be pushy but I am thisclose to collapsing right here on the floor of your waiting room from the pain so any idea how long? He tells me I can clearly see that they are very busy so he'd guess a few hours. So I proceed to tell him that yeah, I can see that everyone is sleeping and one guy is on his phone and laughing. After being told there isn't anything he can really do, I said I had to get out of there as there was no way I could wait 3 hours. His response? OK. Have a good night. Could not have cared less. I am a long time patient of Tufts and have always had great experiences and I am sure if I could have gotten to an ER doctor that night, I would have received great care as usual. But I am never returning to this ER. I came from 15 miles away which seemed like 100 with the pain level, because I am told Tufts is my "medical home." But I'm not playing this game. I repeat, 8 out of the 10 of us were asleep, one guy was playing on his phone and another, who also eventually went to sleep, was fine waiting 3-4 hours for a flipping Advil which tells you all you need to know. 1) If you are asleep, playing on your phone or willing to wait 3-4 hours for a .05 cent Advil, I'm going to guess you really aren't an "emergency." 2) Like most city ERs, Tufts pretty much doubles as a social services center which, there but for the grace of God go I and all that. Fine. However, I certainly expect an ER to actually triage rather than act like we are putting our names on a list for a table at the local Applebee's and will be called in order. Had shooting victims or a car accident or chest pains came in, by all means, leave me to cry in a corner and please prioritize. But to leave me there begging for help, telling me I have to wait because all of these people who are asleep have "been there for a while?" That's ridiculous, a sad commentary on the state of healthcare (patient vs customer) and I am all set.