1 /5 Arielle Jones: I recently had an unsettling experience with Dr. Lori Schriner’s office at St. Mary’s, which I believe is important to share. Following a 10-hour stay in the emergency room, where, frustratingly, I received no concrete information about my ailment, the ER doctors advised me to seek immediate follow-up care with my primary care physician. This led me to contact Dr. Schriner’s office for an urgent appointment.
However, to my dismay, I was denied an emergency appointment with Dr. Schriner. The explanation given was that my visit to the ER the previous day precluded me from being covered for a follow-up visit the next day. This was not only perplexing but also deeply disappointing. After spending extensive hours in the ER without clear answers, I was under the impression that my primary care physician, particularly in a respected network like St. Mary’s, would be the next step for guidance and care.
This incident has caused me to question the patient care process at St. Mary’s. The role of a primary care physician should ideally include being a reliable and accessible point of contact, especially following an emergency room visit. The lack of support and accessibility at a critical time like this seems to go against the basic tenets of patient care and continuity.
By sharing this experience, my hope is to highlight the need for improved policies at St. Mary’s regarding post-emergency follow-ups with primary care providers such as Dr. Lori Schriner. It is essential for healthcare systems to ensure that patients have a seamless transition from emergency care to primary care, particularly when they leave the ER without clear answers about their health concerns.
