> Right, but there's no other front line of entry to anywhere else in the hospital. Yes there is. It's called a "primary care provider", and many of them have

> Right, but there's no other front line of entry to anywhere else in the hospital. Yes there is. It's called a "primary care provider", and many of them have their offices right there in the hospital. Though the ones who operate out of separate clinics can often be less expensive, if not more conveniently located. If you don't already have one, you really should. The emergency department really hates it when people clog up their waiting rooms by going there with non-emergency issues instead of seeing a PCP. And your health insurance (assuming you have it) really hates it when you drive up their costs by going to the ED instead of seeing a PCP. And, if there were any price transparency in the American system, then your fellow citizens would also really hate it when you force the health insurance company to drive up their costs by going to the ED instead of seeing a PCP.