This is a first!
A party chief was out on site looking for a monument. There was a bunch of junk at where he needed to look. He picked up a metal strap and it cut through his glove and into a finger; fairly deep. He called and said he was going to the Urgent Care office which was less than a mile from where he was working.
They looked at it and told him he was right on the edge of needing stiches. If he just taped it up correctly it would heal or they could stitch it and it would heal a bit faster. He opted not to get the stitches.
He was up to date so he didn't need a tetanus shot.
They sent him off after bandaging him and DIDN'T charge him.
I've never entered a medical office without paying-usually its months before I'm done paying for a 10 minute consultation.
I would be giving them a lot of my business.
:good:
Moe, next you will tell us ubout a lawyer giving advice for free.
Actually that happened to me a few weeks ago.
This AM I set a point on an adjoiner's property line for his fence for free. It only took an extra 5 minutes, it's in my clent's intrest as well as his and a little good will is worth a lot.
Hope your guy heals fast with no problems.
Who does he know at Urgent Care?
That's nice, but more typical is my last visit to Urgent Care:
Wife had been having stomach pains.
Doctor had no real answers as to why.
Paid bill in full and got a cash discount on the way out, about $250.00.
Got another bill for $1,200.00 two weeks later.
Still arguing with them.
🙁
Oh, I carry supper glue for just this kind of cut. If you can get the bleeding to stop, you can supper glue a cut that would take stitches. Have done it with my kids many times. Just be careful not to glue your fingers to the wound.
Opposite Experience
A while back, one of my daughters broke a glass and cut herself. Looked like it might need stitches, family doctor not opened yet (about 7:30 AM), and local hospital ER told me to take her to urgent care (another 15 mi past the hospital from home).
Sat in the waiting room for 20 minutes filling out paperwork. Saw a PA because no DR was in at the time. He looked at her for a couple of minutes, said it was just short of needing stitches and so superglued (liquid bandage) the cut closed. Was done less than 15 minutes after being called back.
Didn't know if insurance would cover (it didn't) and expected that I might have to pay $50, or on the outside $100. They wouldn't give me an amount at the time but said they would submit to insurance and send a bill for the rest.
The bill for 15 minutes with the PA was a little over $700 (yes, seven hundred dollars). We've told all the kids to be more careful after that because any injuries requiring splints or stitches will be done at home.
Opposite Experience
Based on what you've told me about your son, you may want to stock up on disposable cats for all those stitches in the future.:-D
1970's geezer experience
Mid '70s, eastern Kentucky. Running boundaries for the Corps of Engineers. Grubbing around for a corner, got into a nest of yellowjackets. Really nailed badly and allergic.
The crew got me to town somehow (maybe Prestonsburg) and found a doctor. Rushed in and got two shots, one in each arm at the same time. Got it all under control and sent me off a couple of hours later with two weeks of prescriptions medication.
The bill was paid in cash: $15.00.
The old boy in his 80's who was next after me was coming back a week after a copperhead bite for a checkup. The young doc knew how to deal with local issues.
When I got back to the office the boss said I could file for reimbursement under workers comp. I laughed so hard I hurt. He actually thought I was going to fill out the paperwork to get fifteen bucks back. I was just happy to be able to go back to work the next week.