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Comment by sfilargi | Hacker News Reader

> Al went to the walk-in medical clinic located next door to NR. Little good that did.

This doesn't give me confidence in the health system. How is it possible that they couldn't diagnose a life threatening condition? Are these clinics being audited?

What an unfair and unnecessary way to go. RIP Alex.

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There is a wide spectrum of possibilities here. On one end you have malpractice. On the other end, you have a patient that ignored the clinic's advice.

> This doesn't give me confidence in the health system.

Thing is, those walk in clinics aren't meant to be a like for like replacement for hospitals/ERs and absolutely aren't equipped to handle, treat or even fully diagnose all forms of illness/injury.

They know that as well as anyone; I'd be willing to wager they told him to go to the ER and he didn't.

Just like troubleshooting computers, you hear hooves, think horses not zebras. A massive infection of lungs and stomach, what in the world happened to that guy?

It can be reasonable to provide little or no treatment for a moderate infection, with advice to seek further care if it becomes worse.

Many viral infections can be unpleasant and run their course in a day or 2.

This isn't the first story I've heard about a walk-in clinic providing sub-par care. The last was someone who went in with chest pains and was told to go home and that they were fine. When they went to a real hospital they were immediately sent into the OR for emergency bypass surgery (and thankfully survived).

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