Mr. Romney - On Behalf of ER Doctors and Nurses Everywhere...

[elias7]

61. I get that piece

I'm an ER doc and in my experience, a complicated UTI is typically sent down from the PCP office to the ED, as it is a different animal than a simple UTI. It requires a bit of a workup, and often results in admission to the hospital--- women in their 20's and 30's. Urinary symptoms that have progressed to flank pain, nausea/vomiting, fever, malaise.... That's no bladder infection, that's a kidney infection until proven otherwise. That requires bloodwork, cultures, imaging. No simple $6 urine test and a prescription for bactrim for a complicated UTI.

I would guess that if you had urinary symptoms for a day or two and came to the ER with just those complaints, your charge would have been substantially less. You don't always even need a urinalysis/culture, though it is advisable in case of treatment failure.