It’s a Hospital, Stupid

Yesterday, I had the unfortunate experience of hitching a ride to the ER in the front of an ambulance (don’t worry, aches and pains aside…everyone is OK). But on the way to the ER, we didn’t nedessarily know that things would be okay. There was only concern and a need to get in front of the ER doctor. *Insert unhappy rant*

The hospital we went to was St. Francis Medical Center, a new facility under Penrose-St. Francis (see pretty picture)

It’s a nice looking hospital no doubt; the fact that it’s brand new doesn’t hurt either. And the food is pretty decent for hospital food. The only question I have is: Who’s the idiot architect that designed the parking layout?? Ok two questions: And which moronic suit approved it??

*If you agree that it should be a straight shot from the road to the ambulance drop-off, raise your hand*

Now, the picture above was taken when the building and parking lots were completed but the layout from the main entrance to the parking lot was still in progress. Notice the distance? Yea, that’s not for fear of hospitals, that’s because between the main entrance and the hospital there is a long (out of the way) road that very slowly meanders towards the hospital before it leads you into 3, count ‘em 3(!) ridiculous round-abouts. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing a round-about, I’m sure you can empathize without me having to say anything. After the three, count ‘em 3(!) ridiculous round-abouts, you have a few more twists and sharp turns before you finally see the emergency entrance. Alas, there's one final sharp turn to get to the actual ambulance entrance.

Heh? Are you kidding me??!!?!

The layout is worse than the worst airport I’ve been to and yes, this is the only way to get in or out. The ambulance driver almost took the wrong exit on the second round-about during daylight and we did take a wrong exit on the very first round-about leaving at night. Imagine the poor patient strapped to a gurney in the back, having to endure all that crap. *Ouch* Imagine a patient bleeding to death or suffering a heart attack and it takes 20 minutes to get to the hospital and another 15 just to get from the main entrance to the ER.

Doctor: The patient died on the way?*

Driver: He would have been fine, but, we took a wrong turn on the second round-about, ended up by some apartment complex in who knows where before we could turn around, then exited on the third round-about in front of the wrong ER entrance. Btw: Where IS the ambulance entrance?? We never did find it....

Pffft. Morons.