Patient Leaves AMA to ‘Teach Them a Lesson!’

HARTFORD, CT – Local man Robert Smith recently posted a scathing rebuke of Hartford County Hospital’s Emergency Department after an excruciating 3-hour wait in the waiting room without being treated.  Robert reportedly injured his right pinky toe 2 weeks earlier while accidentally kicking a chair.  It has been throbbing ever since.

Gomerblog reporters arrived on the scene in the waiting room after he posted a negative Yelp review of the hospital and every doctor, PA, and NP on shift.  “I’ve suffered through this long enough.  This place calls itself an ‘Emergency Room’ where people are supposed to receive care right away.  This is a disgrace.”

Sidestepping a patient being wheeled back in respiratory failure, he continued: “I’ve gone up to the desk and asked how long the wait is 6 times, and every time they tell me the same thing.  I’ve been here longer than everyone else.   This should not happen!”  Upon further investigation, Robert had been screened by a PA in triage who ordered an X-ray, but by the time it resulted, the fast-track section was closed.  Robert was then left in waiting room purgatory until a main ED bed opened to receive his hard-sole shoe and Motrin 800.

Staff members in the waiting room asked him nicely to sit and wait, but the mounting rage kept Robert pacing back and forth with ever the slightest limp.  When asked by Gomerblog reporters to be more specific about his grievances, he responded: “These people don’t care for us.  They just don’t care.  I asked for a bed to lay down, a warm blanket, and when I got hungry, they pointed to a vending machine.  Insulting!  Don’t they know I pay for them to do their jobs?  A little customer service goes a long way.”

The time finally came when Robert had enough of the waiting.  “If you guys don’t want to help me, fine!” he yelled.  “I’m going to go to a REAL hospital!”  Robert then stormed out of the ED.  When asked why he is leaving, Robert shouted, “To teach them a lesson!”  As he peeled out of the parking lot, a nurse from the Bed Control Desk walked into the waiting room and called “Robert Smith to room 12!”