A lot of people I know dread hospitals or doctor visits! Even if they have an HMO card or a FREE health care plan from their companies, I just realized most don't really know what to do when they get to the hospital. OR they don't know when they should go to the hospital for emergency care unless they finally pass out!
Would you like to find yourself fainting in a public place at the mercy of strangers?
I guess not.
So for those proud enough to say I've never spent a day in a hospital since the day I was born-
Do you know what they do to patients when they get to the ER?
or do you know what to do when you need to take someone you love to the ERIf your conscious, not bleeding or not critical case in any way - 
Upon arrival, a nurse or doctor on duty will talk to you, ask you questions - like what's wrong? where it hurts? what you ate the last few hours? if you're allergic to anything? diseases you have? A quick tour of your medical history.
The nurse will then get your blood pressure and do some quick check-ups. She will note all that on a clip board. She will make you sign some papers or who ever you're with (like a relative) who is of sound mind to sign these papers for you.
If you can't do any of these, they'll immediatedly transfer you to the ward via gurney or wheelchair to see the resident doctor on duty. Afterwards, maybe what you do fear most starts- the needles and all that poking.
But most of the time they just give you medicine, make you sleep there until you feel alright enough to go home. They will give you medical orders btw like what treatment to take and what specialist to see if they find anything wrong with you. You only get confined to the hospital if you're unfit to go home and you have to sign yourself in. They will explain all the details why you need to stay usually for a battery of tests or an emergency procedure.
If you are unconscious, dying, unable to speak - they will notify whoever's contact details they find on your wallet or cell phone. If you have no identification on you, they will ask the police for identity assistance or they will make public announcements through news bureaus like AM radio stations. If you are a foreigner, they will contact the embassies.
Don't hesitate to go to the ER if you're blacking out, your chest hurts and you can't breathe. Listen to your body, the gut feel is there when you know something bad is going down. Bad like your body parts are going numb, you can't feel your arm, fingers are tingling, your stomach hurts or there's sharp stabbing pain somewhere.
ER doctors will ask about your pain. They will ask you to measure it on a scale between 1-10. Stop tolerating the pain and listen to your body, if you think its an 8or a 10! then head for the ER!
How much will this cost? Bring money if you don't have HMO. If its a public hospital, you need a basic P800-P1,500. If its a private hospital, Makati Med or Medical City bring a basic of P2,500-P5,000. The bill will be based on the doctor's fee, the kind of tests and drugs administered to you at the ER.
