Been to an Emergency Room lately?

Perhaps, like me, you live in a town, rather than a city or poor rural area, and assume that things are like they used to be at your local emergency hospital. That's what I assumed, if I thought about it at all. Five hours in the emergency room with a friend (she's fine now) has cleared up that misconception.

I shot that sign, above, during our wait. The sign says -- for those who can't see the image --

Thank you for your patience. The Emergency Department is experiencing unusually high patient volumes. This is causing delays.

It certainly is. 

For the entire time, I kept hoping, not only that my friend would be seen soon, but that the man across from us, his hand held up and wrapped in ice, had at least been given something for pain. Something more than ice.

I asked: Why? Why are you seeing so many more patients?

Because, I was told, so many more people are without insurance, and have nowhere else to go.

Do you think health care reform is irrelevant to your life?

If so, you are mistaken.

[By the way, the 911 folks were wonderful. What a great job!

And what do you do? 

Oh, I save lives.]

Comments

[Keith S. Wilson]

I don't know if you believe in public health care or not, but regardless, I can't believe there are people who would call Obama a nazi over his attempt to fix health care. If someone thinks it's a bad idea, that's one thing. But there is obviously a huge problem, and he's only trying to fix it. How is that in any way Nazi-like???

[Anne]

I cannot imagine anyone, save for some of the privileged few, who would think health care reform irrelevant. Too bad we cannot achieve people reform. Thought, consideration and kindness sure could use a resurgence.

All my best to you, as always.

[patry]

I went into my local emergency room in acute pain with an obstruction in my colon--which can be fatal--and though I was listed as a "priority," I still spent over an hour in the waiting room. If I'd called an ambulance, I surely would have been seen sooner, but at the time, I didn't understand how serious it was.

It's happening all over the country and it's straining the community hospitals financially as well. I wonder how long it will be before they simply have to turn people who can't produce the magic card away?