Emergency Care:

The Influence Of Insurance, Race and Gender On Emergency Care

Yes, you are asked questions in regards to your insurance. If you have no insurance then doctors do consider this on some major tests if they are actually necessary. Some doctors will even discuss this with the patient and give them the option that if the symptoms persist to return and the tests will then be performed since MRI's and CAT scans and some other diagnostic x-rays and ultrasounds can be quite costly. If you also lack insurance doctors will also consider the less-expensive of medications for you too. These are good things. Another consideration is that after you do receive the emergency room bill you can go to the hospital and fill out a form with the billing department in getting your bill reduced based on your income status. You will have to provide copies of your bills and proof of your income for this reduction. The hospital is there to help and assist you when you are in need of emergency care. Afterward when you don't have the insurance they can help you with some sort of payment plan to pay for the service you did receive.

Race may be considered due to the area you live in for many factors. It could be that your race is more prone to certain requirements as far as an interpreter or spiritual counselor or your family circle. In my area we have a large number of Indian tribes in which the family circle members have a say. They require a certain amount of respect and must be spoken to accordingly and while in the room. So, if the head of that family is not present the doctor must wait until he is, therefore that prolongs the wait on giving treatment and diagnosis for the member of that family. Also, there is often need for interpreters to be called which also prolongs the need for people of certain races to wait longer, especially if they don't speak any English.

Gender's main factor may only be that most male doctors feel that they need a female nurse beside them at all times when treating a female patient to avoid a potential lawsuit for inappropriate touching. Since lawsuits in today's society seem to be running rampant. With nurses' shortages it sometimes takes awhile for a female nurse to become available to assist.