My ER is worse than yours

No matter where you go in the US, at every hospital in this country, you will find an internist bitching about the emergency department. And I think that my previous posts on dealing with the emergency department are proof enough of that.

Lately, I've been hearing the moaning and bitching of surgeons and gyn, complaining about the ER. Although I can sympathize, I can't really muster much pity, and the reason is that when they refuse an admission, then the ER calls medicine next. And I've heard it a million times before: "Surgery didn't want to admit, so..." "Gyn evaluated and thought the pt should be admitted to medicine..." "Neuro doesn't think this is a stroke and want you to admit..."

I am somewhat sympathetic to the plight of ER physicians. They are presented with a lot of difficult situations. However, some docs rise to the challenge and others fold under the pressure.

When you want to hear horrible stories about admissions from the ER, surgery and gyn and neuro and all those other services can talk a good game, but last I checked, I was the one admitting the 27 year old with chest pain, or the 30 year old with diarrhea, or the 60 year old with a sinus infection. Whatever you got, I can one up.