3 secrets to getting better care at the ER

Corbis
Corbis

By Stacey Colino



Keep a cheat sheet in your wallet
Make a list of the medications and supplements you take, your immunization history, and your allergies. If you're unconscious, paper is easier for the ER staff to find than a smartphone app, says Darria Gillespie, MD, a resident physician in the department of emergency medicine at Yale University.

Know when to call in reinforcements
If you think something is seriously wrong and no one is paying attention to you, Dr. Gillespie says, "Call your own doctor and explain the situation. If she also thinks it's serious, she can call in and speak directly with the nurses or ER doctors to get you attention more quickly."

Give good facts
Be ready to describe when your symptoms started, where they're located, what they feel like, what makes them feel better or worse, and whether you've had them before. "Probably 70% of making a diagnosis is in getting an accurate history-its importance cannot be overstated," Dr. Carius says.


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