Anderson An med Hospital Emergency Room is a nightmare! It needs to be fixed a.s.a.p.

We need a 24 hour- 7 day a week opeartion!!! Hell, Anderson had one over 20 years ago across from Westside High. The late night is when an Urgent care is needed. Highway 81 is too out of the way. Downtown is where it is needed....

Is An Med really for sale? Maybe, Saint Francis from Greenville should buy it.

We need a 24 hour- 7 day a week opeartion!!! Hell, Anderson had one over 20 years ago across from Westside High. The late night is when an Urgent care is needed. Highway 81 is too out of the way. Downtown is where it is needed....

-andersonretro

It is downtown - across the parking lot fro ER ( in former Family Practice Center).

Is An Med really for sale? Maybe, Saint Francis from Greenville should buy it.

-andersonretro

No! AnMed is NOT for sale. Where would you get such an idea ?

There are currently three locations that a patient can present for medical care in an acute situation. Main campus emergency department located in the main hospital, Urgent Care located in the Women's and Children's Hospital on Hwy 81 and Minor Care located in the building that once held the AnMed Family Practice Clinic, which as republikin pointed out is directly across from the entrance to the main emergency department.

The main emergency department (ED) is open 24 hours a day. Urgent care operates from 8 am - 7 pm and Minor Care operates from 9 am - 9 pm

There are several factors that impact a visit to the ED and the associated delays. While andersonretro had a not so pleasant experience with his visit to the ED I am sad to say that his is not the exception. First I will provide some information that allows for some perspective. Anderson County has an estimated population (2004) of 173,800 people. Greenville County has an estimate (2004) of 401,174 people. There is one ED serving Anderson County and there are six serving Greenville County (Greenville Memorial, Greer Memorial, North Greenville Medical, Hillcrest Memorial, St Francis Downtown and St Francis Eastside). The per capita income for Anderson County is 24,983 dollars and 29,544 dollars in Greenville County.

The AnMed ED treated over 73,000 patients in 2007 and is on track to treat in excess of 85,000 in 2008. Keep in mind that it being done in a facility that was renovated to treat 66,000 patients a year.

Reasons for the increased numbers:

* Greater numbers of uninsured

* ED being utilized as primary care (in 2004 30,000 patients did not have a primary physician, in 2007 that number jumped to 44,120)

*ED used as overflow by family physicians
* Improper utilization of ED (cold symptoms, upset stomach, etc)
The good news is that reducing the waiting time in the ED is a priority. There is an expansion currently underway that will help alleviate wait times. The bad news is that as the rate of uninsured and underinsured rises, the emergency department will only become busier.

-pjrnemtp

Many thanks for this detailed and informative report. I think AnMed does an outstanding job under trying circumstances. We can all help by being better informed and prepared should an unfortunate health issue come upon us, a family member or a friend.