Why didn’t I get antibiotics?
Antibiotics can be lifesaving. They can also be useless, harmful, or simply the wrong treatment. The difficult part is knowing which situation you’re in.
Articles
Clear explanations of the emergency department, one question at a time.
Why didn’t they admit me?
"You have a blood clot... you're going home." It sounds contradictory, but hospital admission isn't based on the diagnosis alone. Emergency physicians decide whether you need something that can only be provided safely in the hospital—and medicine has changed dramatically over the past few decades.
But I came by ambulance...
An ambulance ride to the ER doesn’t put you first in line. Here’s what actually determines who gets seen first, and why.
Did you just say cancer… and I’m discharged?
You just heard the word “cancer” in the ER, and now you’re being sent home. Here’s why that can happen, and what it doesn’t mean.
What is the emergency room actually for?
Five patients arrive in ten minutes, by ambulance, on foot, and by wheelchair. Here’s what actually decides who gets treated first, and why.
ER Jargon: A Patient’s Guide
BIBA. NAD. Stat. Your ER paperwork is full of shorthand no one explains. Here’s a plain-English guide to what it all means.
My doctor sent me for a CT scan. Why didn’t the ER order it?
A referral to the ER is a request for an emergency evaluation, not a preordered test. After examining you, the emergency team may recommend different imaging, or no CT at all.
Abnormal doesn’t mean dangerous. Normal doesn’t mean done.
Your patient portal just flagged a result in red. Before you Google it, here’s what “abnormal” actually means, and doesn’t.