ER Death Points to Growing Wait-Time Problem (19-hour Wait)

[The Straight Story]

ER Death Points to Growing Wait-Time Problem
Family, Doctors Say Deadly 19-hour Wait Is an Example of a Nationwide Problem


With notoriously crowded U.S. emergency rooms, chances are most American families have a story of someone waiting. It could have been half a day for a sore throat or perhaps hours for stitches or a sprained ankle.

But for 58-year-old Michael Herrara of Dallas help never came. He died of a heart attack last week an estimated 19 hours after he arrived at Parkland Memorial Hospital's emergency room waiting room complaining of severe stomach pains, according to reports from WFAA News in Dallas.

Members of the Herrera family said they know they aren't alone in facing dangerously long emergency room waiting times in this country.

Emergency physicians say the problem is getting worse.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=5884487&page=1

[angstlessk]

1. well, I guess SOME people listen to boosh..he did say anyone can just go to

the emergency room if they fall ill!! :grr:

[shadowknows69]

2. It's the best place to die

The morgue is usally right there.

[anarch]

3. I had a pulmonary embolism and sat unmedicated in the ER for about 10 hours

because that's how long it took them to get me in the CT scanner. The doctors were all pretty amazed I didn't die, and now I have some pretty much permanent lung damage. Whee!

[shadowknows69]

8. I had something similar and they refused to find out what was wrong with me

Because I had my emergency "too late" so they weren't going to bother someone so late to give me a CT.

[pop goes the weasel]

4. It's an old problem getting worse

Back when my daughter was a teenager, she had a bloody nose at 9 pm. No big deal. She is prone to nose bleeds. At 2 pm, it started getting worse, so off to the ER we went. We check in. There are two other families in the waiting room. We are directed to wait with them. Mind you, she's bleeding like a stuck pig. The horror in the faces of the other families was apparent, while their relief when we were finally brought to the back an hour later was obvious. There was simply no reason to do that to anyone in an uncrowded ER--everyone gets squeamish and afraid watching someone bleed. So now that ER lines are hours and even days long? Maybe they should remember that they have always made people wait and stop making excuses.

[Vinca]

5. But, but, but . . . if you lived in Canada you'd have to wait even longer.

:sarcasm:

[Marrah_G]

6. ERs are overwhelmed in most cities

I live in a smaller suburban city but our local hospital has the regular ER and a "quick care" Unit.

Emergency Care Center

The Emergency Care Center is equipped to handle some of the most serious situations life has to offer. Staffed by physicians and nurses who are career emergency professionals and/or have been extensively trained in treating emergencies, the Emergency Care Center is open 24 hours a day. "Quick Care", a program developed for people with less serious injuries or illnesses, is available every day from 9 a.m. - 11 p.m.

This seems to work out fairly well and gets people seen alot faster.

Alot of this would be solved with Universal single payer health care which would eliminate the need for ER visits for minor conditions or visits for conditions which could have been treated weeks or months before in a Dr's office.

[radfringe]

7. my partner's sister-in-law sat in emergency waiting room

for 12 hours

her appendix burst while waiting, ended up with Peritonitis

she's fine now... but the peritonitis could have been avoided if she was attended to when she first arrived at hospital