Er 11/06 (1 Viewer)

[WillG]

Guess I beat you to this Patrick:

Don't have too much to say, as not too much happened in this episode but...

Looks like from the previews, in two weeks, it looks like there will be a helicopter crash. Whether or not Romano will be involved remains to be seeen. But, whoever first reported was right about the helicopter crash so it looks likely about Romano


So someone confirm this with me because I want to settle a bet. Was Sam's son
that same kid from Seinfeld who Kramer promised that Paul O'Neil would hit 2 Home runs for?

 

[Micheal]

It was the kid from Will & Grace.
EDIT: Oops... that was the kid that was drugged up to control his behaviour.

 

[Rob Speicher]

that same kid from Seinfeld who Kramer promised that Paul O'Neil would hit 2 Home runs for?

No, that was a kid named Thomas Dekker. He's like 16 now and was recently on Boston Public.

 

[WillG]

You know, it's funny, sometimed I forget how old "Seinfeld" actually is and that above mentioned episode aired like 8 years ago

 

[Patrick Sun]

I thought the episode was good, but on a more superficial level, I never really connected with any of the cases/patients in this episode.

Kovac was funny in his rant at the drug rep. He is getting a little much in his Congo medicine man schtick. I thought he and Pratt were going to really get into it when Kovac thought Pratt should go back to the Congo (meaning to see what's it's like there, not attack his heritage), Pratt used the outburst to severe ties with Kovac over this day of Congo medicine.

Still can't get used to seeing "Dr. Abby" yet. But she did a good job getting the wife to give consent for organ donation of her dead husband.

Frank and Jerry were cracking me up in spots.

That puppy was really cute, and it was hilarious to see her just go to sleep in Bob Newhart's arms while he and Susan were walking and talking.

 

[Mark C.]

I'm sorry. I tried to watch, but I didn't have the appetite for ER. I'm tired of watching Romano rants, projectile vomit closeups, Kovac and Abby. I watched all of five minutes, then switched to Bravo to watch "The Producers.''
ER is one tired show!

 

[WillG]

I am a bit sick of Kovac's Holier than Thou attitude just because he's been to the Congo, and practiced "Real Medicine"

 

[Jason_V]

While we're on the subject of what we're tired of, I'm sick of Romano having the stick shoved so far up his rear end the top of it comes out his mouth. I mean, come on. Can the guy be any more bitter, anal and downright derogatory?

 

[Patrick Sun]

But then again, if you were an ER patient, wouldn't you appreciate a doctor who is trying to keep costs down for you?

Anyone else notice Meadow Soprano's dead boyfriend showed up (as the irate guy with the ER bill).

 

[Chris]

Yeah, my wife jumped at that and said "Holy Cow! There's Jackie Jr!"

 

[Ken Chan]

when Kovac thought Pratt should go back to the Congo

Did he say "back"? Because that would only make sense if Pratt had been there or if it came out as an epithet (unintentionally or Freudianly).

//Ken

 

[Rob Speicher]

No, he said "Maybe you should go to Africa"

 

[Micheal]

Rob's right.

 

[Kenshiro]

When does Carter get back again?

 

[Patrick Sun]

Pratt thought it was a racial slam towards him initially (as soon as Kovach said his line), but then Kovach continued in the same line he intended, that some true ER medicine in the Congo would make Pratt see the light about all of the unnecessary tests that are being requested (for doctor CYA purposes). Pratt then did not take Kovach's statement as a racial slam (but did for a brief moment), but as an offense to his doctor skills and views on healthcare.

 

[Julian Reville]

Does anyone remember the prices of the tests Kovac was having the med student read off for the tests and treatments that were done? I may have to go back and rewatch the tape and write them down. I was struck by how outrageously high they seemed to me.

I run a veterinary clinic; we run many of the same common tests, like CBC, Chem panel, UA, and we have a large national lab pick up our samples, run them for us, and fax us the results. If I tried to charge anything near those fees,for the exact same tests, I would be either shot or out of business.

Kovac has the right idea, human medicine is out of control. Pratt has his head up his ass, and I believe that he started the "You should go back to Africa" crap. Not racist if a "minority" says it, is it?

 

[ThomasC]

CBC 140
Chem panel 350
UA 90
GC Oclymedia cultures (sp) 300
IV Start and liter of saline 200
Morphine 50
Abdomen and pelvic CT 3000
Pelvic ultrasound 750
Total 4880

Kovac's Alternative

Negative urini count (sp) 15
Physical 200 (No price given, that's my max guess, I think 100 for the ones I've gotten)
Ibuprofen 2
Total 217

 

[Ken Chan]

Pratt telling Kovac he should go "back" is not racist, since Kovac just came from there and is acting like he is still there in Pratt's view. When Kovac turned it around, it's easy to see how Pratt thought he heard the usual epithet.

Now if the shoe was on the other foot, and Pratt had just returned from Africa and was cost-cutting, it would be tough to use the phrase "go back to Africa" to him without properly prefacing it so it didn't sound wrong. And is that a "double standard"? Sure.

//Ken

 

[Julian Reville]

Thanks Thomas


What it cost followed by what it should cost:
CBC 140 (30-40)
Chem panel 350 (65-75)
UA 90 (20-25)
GC Oclymedia cultures (sp) 300 (50-75)
IV Start and liter of saline 200 (40-50)
Morphine 50 (morphine is so cheap I give it free to dogs)
Abdomen and pelvic CT 3000 (my hospital CAT is named Tom and he has fur, but he won't give me the results of his scans, the bastard)
Pelvic ultrasound 750 (150)

Human medicine is WAY overpriced; we're getting screwed, and Kovac is right; too many MDs practice like money is no object and to cover their own asses. An ER should patch them up and ship them, either to Hospital Admissions or an Outpatient Clinic or a Hospice, rather than getting bogged down with minutia. Oh well, it's only TV.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Unfortuneatly, there's very little alternative to the tests. By neglecting them, Kovac is opening himself up to serious malpractice suits; one of these days he's going to make a mistake. Do I think that the system as it stands is right? No, but that's the reality of the situation.