Daily life in the USA: Urgentcare

Just 1,5 months after arriving in the US, it was already time to check out the medical system. Only because stupid me bumped her (previously broken) finger to a shelf in the closet. Yes, the closet. Even when it is called a 'walk-in', it is still not safe for my waving arms...

Anyway, it hurt.

Convinced that it was broken again, we asked some colleagues what to do. Apparently we were 'lucky' to be able to get medical assistance on base, so that was our first step. Unfortunately things obviously couldn't go as planned. The assistants behind the reception desk had no idea what to do, had never seen foreigners in their lives and did not know what 'NATO' meant. Besides these minor issues it also turned out that it was Friday, and on Friday they only have half of the staff available(duh). So there was nobody around to help and I could make an appointment for Tuesday February 16th, which was 5 days away. Sure.

Since that was not an option for me (fearing my finger would be bruised, swollen and askew forever), they gave us a 'special' number to call. When we called this very mysterious number it turned out to be from the appointment service of the medical centre on base. Where we were actually standing (get it?).

After explaining the situation, they told us they would call us back to tell us what to do.

Didn't happen within the hour, so we decided to go to an 'Urgentcare' facility off base ourselves (of course right at that moment they called us back, and oh boy were they angry with us, since that was for some strange reason not the procedure to follow...).

Urgentcare facilities are similar to the 'huisarts'. You apparently go there with any issue that is urgent, but not urgent enough for the Emergency Room. The only difference: since having a medical insurance is not mandatory in the US, the urgentcare is not free. Most Americans have to pay the (huge)bill right away. But nonetheless, it was crowded...

First we had to get registered and thank God they actually did understand what 'foreign military' meant.

It took them 45 minutes and hundreds of forms, however, to get us started. Then it took another hour for me to get called the first time. To 'check my vitals'. Check my vitals, why? I said a bit annoyed. We were already waiting for almost 2 hours and they wanted to check my vitals? I bloody broke my freakin finger, what do you need vitals for!?

Anyway, I never got this question answered and wasn't allowed to skip this very important part of my medical examination. Afterwards I was sent back to the waiting room for another hour.

Finally, 3 (no not kidding) hours after we'd entered the facility a doctor came to look at my finger and decided it might be broken (THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING!!!). So I had to wait, again, for a scan.

Luckily, getting the results only took 15 minutes, it wasn't even broken, they gave me a splint to wear and a prescription for painkillers. Which we, by the way, were unable to pick up from the pharmacy since we are foreigners...

I will never enter that closet again.