I am having a minor surgery later this month but I need someone that knows me to drive me back or else I can’t have the surgery done, and I don’t know anybody that can drive me back.
The surgery is in Berwyn il and I live in the far north side of Chicago
What should I do?
Thank you
Do a Google search for “non-emergency medical transport” in your area or Berwyn.
Uber there and Uber back?
Would that count as “someone that knows me”?
Since the OP is looking for advice, let’s move this to IMHO.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
No.
Call the hospital/doctor and ask. In some cases what they’re looking for is a coherent person that isn’t full of versed that can listen to post-op directions, drive you home and make sure you’re settled in and on your couch/bed etc and appear sober enough that they’re comfortable leaving you alone (or are willing to stay with you). The Uber driver isn’t going to do all this. I’ve been picked up from and picked other people up from something as simple as a endoscopy and it’s more than what an Uber driver is going to do.
I would strongly recommend against Uber/Lyft. If for no other reason, if you still have anesthesia in your system it’s very likely that you could fall asleep in their car, throw up in their car, not know how to get into your house etc. In any of those cases, they wouldn’t be wrong to either take you back to the hospital or call 911 (who will probably take you back to the hospital).
You could call a non-emergency medical transport and ask them about it.
Have you explained the problem to the hospital? Have they been unable to suggest a transport service or other solution?
As has been said, what they don’t want is a stranger who won’t take personal responsibility for making sure you get safely home if you are not completely in possession of your facilities. A normal taxi, car service, Uber or Lyft won’t provide that.
I’ve faced this situation a few times and will be facing it again in the near future. I understand the reasoning but it really pisses me off. My next surgery is within walking distance. I mean, not next door but under half a mile. The doctor(s)gave me the number for a ride system for just this purpose and I think it was about $20 each way:mad: They didn’t do anything but transport me, though I assume they were equipped to handle it if I needed assistance.
Generally, the doctors want someone who knows you because they want that person to wait around for you while the procedure is ongoing, to keep an eye on you after the surgery, and to help you get back into your house if you need it. Volunteer or professional medical transports can do all of those things too if necessary.
There are lots of organizations that do medical transport in situations like these. Some use volunteers and others are professionally staffed. Most are targeted at retired or elderly people. Here is one such organization that I think is close to you. It does require a membership though. Village Map - Village to Village Network, Inc.
I happen to work with one such volunteer organization in my community (but not that one). If you have a local Council on Aging, they may be able to refer you to others who provide medical transport.
Good luck.
When I had a similar procedure the admitting nurse specifically said that they wouldn’t put me in an Uber or taxi. After the anesthesia medicine you may not be able to function properly and they don’t want you in the care of a stranger.
I searched in San Antonio and actually found listings on Yelp under “The Best 10 Medical Transportation.” Who knew?
I suspect that it’s not so much an issue of the driving per se as it is of putting a sedated person under the supervision of a stranger. I don’t know what the OP’s particular situation is, but bringing a known person along may well be sufficient, even if you end up taking a bus or taxi or Uber together to get home. So the ‘known person’ doesn’t necessarily have to be a driver.
In many cases, if the outpatient hospital isn’t solidly booked up, you can ask to stay there until your anesthesia/sedation wears down enough that you are functional enough to drive yourself. They normally expect people to want to go home as soon as possible.
So ask if you can just stay there for several more hours.
I have had half a dozen out-patient surgeries in the past few years for a persistent issue that frequently needs correction. This is not invasive surgery, but does require general anesthesia.
The first time I was able to get a ride from my sister, so no problem.
The second time, my sister was not available, so I asked a co-worker to pick me up after work. The hospital was not happy that I wouldn’t get picked up until after 4:00 (6 hours after the surgery and about 4 and a 1/2 after I woke up.) They were very happy to see me go when he finally picked me up.
The third time, I flat out told them I didn’t have a ride and would be taking a taxi. They weren’t happy about this and finally insisted on giving me a voucher for the taxi. I don’t know why that was important to them.
The fourth time they just quietly let me call a Lyft.
I think I just wore down their resistance.
Think about it, what do they actually have a legal right to insist on? If I got up as soon as I awoke, put my clothes on and walked out, about all they could do is note on my records that i left against medical advice. Any attempt to physically restrain me would probably be prosecutable as kidnapping.
Now, as others have noted, there are medical reasons why that is not a good idea. But, if you understand the situation and are willing to accept personal responsibility for any consequences, I don’t see why you couldn’t stick around until you are comfortable that you are recovered enough and then get an Uber or taxi.
I should note here that with the anesthesia I was given for these procedures, I felt no effects other than a very brief period of drowsiness after awakening. I really was fully functional and ready to go. If that’s not the case for you, you might want to reconsider.
In today’s world of increasing social isolation and personal busyness, many people just don’t have an extensive support network of people able to drop everything to ferry us around as needed. Sooner or later the hospitals are going to have to recognize this.
Some of your pre-op paperwork that you signed likely covered this.
As far as legal rights that they have. I think it’s above CYA since they’ve (with your consent) drugged you and erased your memory. They also know that your memory will be fuzzy after you wake up and there’s a handful of symptoms that come with anesthesia (and surgery in general).
If none of this is covered…what if they just let you get into your car and drive home and you crash your car? What if you get home and fall down the basement stairs since you’re still wobbly? There’s a lot of ‘what ifs’ that can be covered with something as simple as ‘someone needs to be here when you’re released and then take you home’.
In fact, come to think of it, I believe one of the times I picked someone up, I may have had to sign something stating that I’d relay all the post-op info to her once she was more awake and that I’d make sure she got home safely.
I certainly agree that no-one should operate a motor vehicle soon after surgery and anesthesia. Just as they should not proceed to a fire-arms range for a little target-shooting, or go down-hill skiing.
If taking a taxi or Uber is such a high-risk activity, then why is the hospital discharging the patient in the first place? (That was rhetorical, I do understand that a big part of it is what insurance companies are willing to pay for.)
As I think my experiences described above show, the rule is not set in stone and the hospital personnel have some discretion and probably no means of actually enforcing such rules.
Who said taking a taxi or uber was a high risk activity?
The implication is that leaving the hospital in the company of a stranger (e.g., taxi or uber driver) is somewhat risky because they are not privy to your post-op instructions (nor should they be) and they won’t come in the house with you and make sure you’re okay (nor should they). Even though you feel okay, the effects of anesthesia may linger. You knew all that when you asked the question, right? So what was your actual question?
And yes, it’s about your well-being and also about liability.
I’m also totally single/alone. My neighbor took me to cataract surgery. When I had my lumpectomy four years ago, a friend took me. Sadly, he died last year. Not every one has spouses, partners, grown kids, parents, cousins, in-laws, and other family lining up to take you to the doc, wait several hours while you wait and then have your procedure, and then take you home, take you in the house, get you settled, etc. Not to mention if the doc gives you a prescription when you leave the hospital and you’re expected to pick it up on the way home–THAT can complicate things.
From the explanation given to me, that’s not the problem. It’s that you are in a vulnerable altered mental state and some stranger can take advantage of you. You should be under the supervision of someone who knows you and will look out for your well being.