[pct-l] Trail Injuries and the ER

[Tortoise73 at charter.net (Tortoise)]

Just a thought -- if you are in a stranger to the locality and need 
non-emergency medical care, I suggest you contact the local visitor 
information center(s) and or ask the hospital. They will probably know 
of medical services other than the ER that is more suitable and less 
expensive than the ER.

During the tourist season I volunteer in our local visitor center and we 
do have information for those who need non-emergency medical care.

----------
Tortoise

I switched to Mac OSX rather than fight Windows
Using Mozilla Thunderbird  http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/

Gary Wright wrote:
> In 2004 I ended up with a stress fracture in my left foot at the
> Oregon/Washington border.
> 
> I went to the Hood River Hospital at first and then after resting
> for a few days to a podiatrist/sports medicine specialist.
> 
> I should have gone to the sports medicine specialist first.
> The ER staff was great but expensive and while they could rule
> out a clean break via an X-ray they were pretty limited in their
> diagnostic skills beyond that.  The specialist was a hiker, gave
> me a much more conclusive diagnosis, and cost a lot less.  Stress
> fractures can be hard to diagnosis since they don't show up on X-rays
> until they start healing about 14 days after the break.
> 
> It seems reasonable to go to an ER when you are out of town but
> unless it is an emergency situation, you are better off locating
> a clinic or local doctor who can see you instead.  If appropriate
> I'd head for a sports medicine specialist also rather than a
> general practitioner.
> 
> Just something to keep in mind.
> 
> 
> Gary Wright (Radar)
> 
> 
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