And states. TN has had TennCare for over a decade, it has nearly bankrupted the state several times and has been downsized that many times to stop the hemorrhaging. Memphis is the largest user, has 1 public hospital. Which is always begging for funds.
The ER is a doc office for illegals. The Elvis Presley Trauma Center services the 3 state counties around us, getting their welfare money is hard. Same goes for the NIC U. They are top draw, while the hospital is a cesspool of germs and diseases you pick up in third world countries.
You must be referring to The Med. I grew up in the Mid-South and even back then, it was the hospital you wanted to avoid. I can only imagine how things are now, with the level of violent crime and drugs in Memphis.
To be fair, there are a lot of great doctors, nurses and technicians at The Med, and it’s the only Level I Trauma Center for the region. But it’s like walking into a third world country.
I’m guessing the medical drill in Memphis is the same as it’s always been. If you’re one of lucky few who still has private insurance, can actually choose your doctor, and need to see a specialist in Memphis, you get a referral to someone in the Methodist or Baptist health care systems.
After retiring from active duty, I lived in northern Mississippi for a while, before moving away again. Baptist has been very aggressive in expanding into neighboring states and creating a wider network of feeder hospitals and facilities. The local hospital where I resided was owned by Baptist, the care was excellent, and if you needed more specialized treatment, the life flight helo would carry you to one of the system’s larger facilities in Memphis. And the waiting room didn’t look like Kabul General.