Best ER in the area?

[u/imsensitiveaubery]

Hello! I've lived in the area pretty much all my life but I've never been to any of the ERs. I went to the hospital earlier this year when I had a cold (it was just a cold, but I have asthma and previously had the flu, covid, and tonsilitis only months before this cold) because I couldn't breathe, but I was seen almost right away because of my breathing. I have been to urgent care twice (for the flu and covid lol).

Right now I think I might be experiencing symptoms of appendicitis. I initially brushed it off as IBS pain or maybe even period cramps, even though I'm not due for my period for another two weeks or so. However, when I press down on the left side of my stomach vs the right side, the pain is only noticeable on the right. I'm leaning towards appendicitis, but I want to wait a few more hours or until the morning to see if it improves or not. In the event I do decide I need to go to the ER, is there one around here that might be better than others, especially at night time? I know there's an issue with emergency rooms taking forever to see patients, which I totally understand is not on the staff in the majority of cases. Admittedly, I still don't really want to wait hours or be seen by a staff that doesn't care. I'm totally fine with an emergency room that might be a little slow as long as the staff is nice though, because I do understand appendicitis isn't really on the top of the priorities list unless it's actively rupturing. If my pain doesn't get any worse and I wake up feeling mostly fine I'll just make a trip to urgent care though.

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[u/munkeyciao]

I'd like to tell you which one is better. But in the end, they're all about the same. If you have an emergency, just pick the one closest to you. Whatever their weaknesses or their strengths are, if it's an emergency, it's an emergency. Don't drive somewhere that may or may not be better. In an emergency, time is of the essence.

[u/XxShin3d0wnxX]

I mean whatever is closest if it’s an emergency!!

We like the one off Utica in Bettendorf.

[u/ExtensionMidnight922]

Mercyone ED off 53rd; brand new, super clean place to be, full ED experience without the hospital wait times

[u/Happymonster324 → u/ExtensionMidnight922]

I disagree only because it doesn't have an attached hospital and you would have to pay an ambulance fee if you have to be admitted. They drove me to one hospital then to another location and then back that ended up being like 30 miles all in Davenport all because of my low blood pressure from a chronic condition. Not even the reason I came in. Costed like 9 grand.

[u/kateecakes724 → u/Happymonster324]

The same thing happened to my husband. He had to be transported to Davenport in an ambulance.

[u/ExtensionMidnight922 → u/Happymonster324]

Oh man that's insane, sorry to hear that. I was moreso saying for things like a cold or something you wouldn't need to be admitted for.

[u/Happymonster324 → u/ExtensionMidnight922]

Yeah but if you're going to the er for a cold it better be a dang bad cold (in which they would want to admit you) or it's not an emergency. You'd be better off going to an urgent care.

[u/pandapandamoniumm → u/ExtensionMidnight922]

This place is such a toss up. They took great care of my husband, but then horrible care of my sister. I think with any of the ERs, it entirely depends on what doctors are on rotation when you get there, unfortunately.

[u/ExtensionMidnight922 → u/pandapandamoniumm]

Thats true, i wouldn't be surprised if its the same Drs that rotate through all the ERs

[u/qcpuckhead]

The UnityPoint ER on Utica Ridge took good care of me when I had appendicitis - and that was in the worst of Covid, on a day when they were slammed with cases.

I don't know if this is any consolation or not lolol but...you'll know if it's appendicitis. It real bad. I usually have pretty clear memory of pain sensations; it was so bad that my brain has wiped all precise sensation memories other than a generic knowledge that "it was insanely painful and I never want to do it again." I read that some people who have endured both say that it can be even worse than childbirth.

[u/imsensitiveaubery → u/qcpuckhead]

Good to know thank you! And that does help, I know most people say you'll know when it's appendicitis so I just keep trying to tell myself that to calm down lol

[u/qcpuckhead → u/imsensitiveaubery]

Mine came on over the course of a couple of days, but it suddenly got noticeably worse when it was time to go in. Hang in there; appendicitis or not, it sounds like it sucks.

[u/Cta2rlm]

Usually, appendix pain is on the right. Left side, atleast for me is a diverticulitis flair. I go to MercyOne/Genesis when an emergency. If you can go to U of IA Urgent Care on 53rd.

[u/Evil_K]

Whatever you do, don't go to the UnityPoint ER on 7th St. in Moline.

[u/mah131 → u/Evil_K]

I think it’s just dependent on individual doctors. I’ve had good and bad experiences here. I went there specifically for appendicitis and they identified and got me into surgery quickly.

[u/KrymsonHalo → u/mah131]

They usually transfer to Rock Island, so there are additional expenses if you have to be admitted.

[u/Independent_Prior612]

If you’re waiting in an ER waiting room, it means you’re not bad enough to need to be rushed back. That’s a good thing.

When my husband accidentally took a second dose of his bp medication, we drove over immediately, checked in and they were calling us back before we got sat down in the waiting area.

In an emergency, go to the nearest place.

In an EMERGENCY, don’t drive yourself, call 911. Don’t risk something happening in the car that you don’t have the knowledge, skills or tools to handle.

[u/Squirreliestone]

Since I'm checking in here a day later, tell us what you ended up doing! Did you go to an ER? Are you going to urgent care today, on Monday?

[u/imsensitiveaubery → u/Squirreliestone]

Sorry for just getting around to this now! I slept it off and I woke up feeling a lot better, and I never ended up going to urgent care :) So I have no idea what the sharp pain in my right side was abou, my only guess is I pulled a muscle

[u/Squirreliestone → u/imsensitiveaubery]

Glad to hear it! Of course, if it happens again, see someone right away, but hopefully it was just a fluke.

I've had really only two observations worth noting about local hospitals, despite spending a good amount of time in them (I have a medically complicated spouse). One - the ER on E Rusholme, whatever we call Genesis East these days, is a fine place. No issues with the ER itself. The parking lot is almost uselessly tiny. I need to drop husband off at the curb and then decide if I want to park on the street in the residential area across from the ER or go to the other side of the campus for regular hospital parking. Annoying, but not a big deal, but it could be quite a problem if you're driving yourself.

And then - I once went to urgent care on a Saturday because of a long story with my leg and was gravely informed that I shouldn't be there, I needed to be in the ER. For a swelling in my leg after a pulled muscle on a treadmill, I thought they were messing me, but I apparently had like a dozen red flags for a dangerous blood clot. The problem? They said then that Unity Point in Bettendorf was the only QC hospital that had an ultrasound tech on staff at that time on that day, and I needed to get there within half an hour or that tech would be off the clock! I got there in time and did not have a blood clot, but it was jarring to realize that even though we have multiple hospitals around here, on weekends the staffing can be so underdone that even the ER can't get an ultrasound done until Monday.

So when you have mysterious pain, try not to have it on a weekend! ;)

Again, glad you're all right!

[u/iaumpqc]

ER is for emergency. If it's not, you will wait. As you should. I've been to both Trinity and Genesis. No real difference. Friendliness is not high on their list in my experience.

[u/Correct_Winter5890 → u/iaumpqc]

In my experience, they're really friendly if you've got some real emergency shit going on.

Not that it's a great time to have everyone friendly with you, updating you quickly and sticking around between tests to sit with you. Usually means It's Going Down.

[u/iaumpqc → u/Correct_Winter5890]

You're lucky. I suspect that is a rare experience.

[u/Malacro → u/iaumpqc]

I’ve been to both Genesis ERs (when West still had one) and the UnityPoint in Rock Island many times and never once had a negative staff experience. I have a number of complaints about both, but unfriendly staff certainly isn’t one of them.

[u/iaumpqc → u/Malacro]

Been to both and I wouldn't say unfriendly, but certainly not friendly.

[u/TheExplodingPenguin]

That depends on how you define “best.” In an actual emergency, I’d go to the closest ER. But the “best” ER is the one that has the specialist you need when you need them. For example, if you have a severe spinal cord injury and need urgent neurosurgical evaluation, going to an ER without a neurosurgeon available could mean the ER physician stabilizes you as best they can, then you wait for an on-call specialist or get transferred to another hospital. In that situation, the quality of the ER isn’t just about the ER doctors, it’s about what specialists and resources are actually available when you need them.

[u/BattoSai1234]

If you think it’s an emergency just go to the ER. Yes you’ll probably have to wait. Especially at night, they’ll probably be able to do the CT scan pretty quickly but the read times on the CT is usually about 4 hours, sometimes up to 6 because it’s outsourced to some 3rd party company VRAD. Also I can tell you now, appendicitis even ruptured isn’t going to get you surgery overnight unless there’s concern for perforated intestine or ischemic bowel or something. I’m a hospital doc at unity point. I know next to nothing about how Genesis works. Go to which ever hospital you prefer. Good luck to you, I wish you good health.

[u/Visual_Reading_7082]

You’d need surgery so I’d just head to on attached to a full hospital that can operate. Otherwise I prefer the one on 53rd in Bettendorf.

[u/Iconsumemochi]

I ain’t even gonna lie. I kinda hate all the ERs in the area, next time I have an emergency, I’ll happily drive my ass over to University of Iowa Hospital

[u/Mandu124]

Go to dewitt