"ED - wait time"

Disappointment. 

My partner and I arrived at FSH at around 5pm. I particularly did not want to come to FSH as I had a bad experience previously but my partner wanted to come to FSH as the oncologist outpatient clinic was at FSH.

We have told the triaged nurse about the concern my partner had and why we have visited ED. The triage nurse has said they put my partner in the injury category and patients in this category will be seen fairly quickly.

The tv screen on that day says the longest wait time is 3 hours 45 min and with 31 patients waiting to be seen. So my partner and I timed our time at ED and 3 hours and 45 min later we still has not seen a doctor.

On the 6th hour I approached the triage nurse but another patient's partner was talking to them and stated that they have been waiting for 5 hours and they are still waiting. The triage nurse states that the ED is currently busy and patients are triaged based on the urgency.

They then said they understand that but no one has come into those locked doors for almost 2 hours. They left and I asked the same thing and how many people before my partner is called in. I was told one more.

Waited for another hour. We finally got called in and showed where we can sit and wait for the doctor. We waited another almost an hour to be seen. The ED Dr was very apologetic and that was fine, all we want is for my partner to be checked.

Physical examination, initial assessment and PMH was done. The Dr then told us that they'll speak to their superior on what are the next steps regarding this. It was already 2am. My partner and I had a bit of nap because we are just so tired. My partner flew back home from their work and was hoping that they could have answers while they were at ED. The Dr came back in and we were told that my partner would need an ultra sound and FSH's ultrasound is not 24 hours and it opens at 8am and it is only for ED patients and again basing on urgency (yes understand that!).

We thought that we would be able to wait there as it was only 2 hours away from 8am. We have waited all this time so it would not have bothered us to wait for another 2 or 3 hours so we could have the results but we were told that my partner is discharged and that they are writing up a referral and send us to private to do all the scans needed because my partner is not "urgent", it is urgent but it is not urgent on the basis that his obs are within normal range, no physical or mental distress, nil pain showed and etc.

We have spent 13 hours in the ED with so much disappointment. My partner and especially myself who is in the healthcare industry, understands that patients are seen according to urgency. We were told that the ED was very busy with a lot of urgent care needed. I recall some nurses/ doctors they were just chatting away and chatting what they were doing when they finish their shifts. The biggest disappointment was, my partner has experienced the same symptoms they have previously and was sent to scans and was in surgery after the results ( not in FSH but in another hospital, I wish we went to the other hospital and not FSH) but this seemed disregarded this time.

Went home and booked all my partner's scans and MRI and turned out C and yes it is urgent! Thanks for telling us that is nothing to be concerned of when it is!

Based on my experience, 2 different cases but let down 2 times.