The Observation Deck

The same prediction was made when Trauma Centers were consolidated in Cuyahoga County. If you check the Ohio EMS web site it shows a reduction in trauma mortality in Cuyahoga County, the only county in the state to see a reduction. The majority of patients transported by LFD do not require admission to the hospital and can still be transported to the Lakewood Emergency Room. The patients that require transport to another facility will be treated by some of best trained best equipped paramedics in the area. When one looks at the other areas of the county the transport times for residents of Strongsville, North Royalton, Brecksville are much longer then what will be seen in Lakewood. There has been no evidence presented that lives will be placed at risk for patients that are treated and transported by LFD paramedics.

I assume that the County study was done prior to Lakewood Hospital becoming an Urgi Care Center. There has not been enough time yet to get an accurate report. Bottom line is that the sooner you get to an emergency room the better your survival rate. Has anyone been to Fairview's ER lately? I took a friend there last week. They had patients stacked up on gurneys in the hallway. Looks to me like they can't handle the volume of visits they are getting. Does anyone think these people are getting "World Class Care"'? How much do you trust a physician to tell you your condition can wait? Last time a family member of mine was there, someone was brought in with chest pains and difficulty breathing. We were just on the other side of a curtain that separated the room. The woman pushed her call button and no one came for 5 minutes. Then, the two nurses had a discussion about how maybe she was having a heart attack and should they call a doctor. The woman was in cardiac arrest and unfortunately died. In my opinion, they can't handle what they have now. I was also with someone in the ER at Saint John. She was in and out in about an hour. Very prompt, professional and caring people. If you live in Lakewood, I would ask to be transported to either Metro or Saint John's.

http://www.bcbs.com/why-bcbs/immediate- ... gency.html

An interesting chart. An urgent care center cannot treat ailments such as heart attacks, poisoning, stab wounds, and similar ailments.

With drug overdoses and crime (gunshot and stab wounds) increasing and virtually nothing being done about it, I suspect that trips to outside hospitals will increase as well.