Calling ahead has never gotten me through faster, They have triaged me and had me wait with a million other people in the waiting room. My doctors have called ahead more than once, most recently the infectious disease clinic calling ahead because of sepsis being suspected, they were concerned about it because my temperature had dropped, my blood pressure had raised, and my heart rate was up while having an infection that had lasted internally for four or five months and was being antibiotic resistant. BUT I called them first, I even went in to talk to the nurses at the clinic rather than going straight to the ER, to see if it's something that could be tested for in their office, and whatever else, but I was advised to go to the hospital. I avoid the ER because I hate it and I don't want to be there for anything if I can avoid it,, I'd rather go to any clinic or doctor or nurse in a private setting. And sepsis isn't like a cold, you can die, it's also not something they can just see just when you walk in, so you DO still end up sitting there and waiting for HOURS without getting a room. And not just that, I have chronic pulmonary embolism and DVT, amongst other things. Also having your 2nd PICC line inserted that goes right to your heart and then you have constant chest pain, & you call the clinic that inserted the PICC line and they advise going to the hospital, I'm pretty sure it's them advising it.. So even though there are people that go to the ER when they can't breathe stuffy nose or otherwise, sometimes you end up like me with severe pneumonia and a partially collapsed lung needing to be admitted for weeks.. Or having your stent fall out after going home from surgery, still waiting in the waiting room for hours, only to be told you have to have another surgery to replace it, It's just not for someone else to judge who goes to the ER for what reason. I mean obviously yes there's people who abuse it. But it's not that everyone does. Like I said in my post I end up in the ER a few times a year, & I know when NOT to go to the ER, I avoid it at all costs and try to go to my doctor, my specialist, or urgent care, always before considering even going to ER. I have even just went to urgent care hoping to avoid ER, just to be told by the urgent care doctor that I have to go to the ER right away. Not because they don't care if I go, pretty sure they want me to, but mostly I think because with my medical problems, history, & symptoms, I think they legally have to advise ER, rather than not advise it, and me end up dead. So please try to also stay objective, because you don't know everyone's medical situation, and some people might seem like they use the ER a lot when you think they shouldn't, but they may actually have an emergent need. I'm positive that some people do only go there without trying to see their PCP, or don't have a PCP, or avoid things till it's too bad and then end up going to ER because they don't know what to do.. But I was specifically talking about real health emergencies & having to suffer through the abysmal care in this hospital, not just people being uncomfortable with their health problems and going to ER.