Emergency rooms must deal with crisis every day. But all across the state, a new kind of crisis is emerging: one that that has nothing to do with sick patients.
Many of California’s emergency rooms are overcrowded, understaffed and overwhelmed: they are emergency rooms in need of emergency assistance.
In the last ten years nearly 60 emergency departments in Calfornia have shut their doors. Many of those that remain open are often “on diversion”—meaning they must refuse to accept ambulances because there are no more beds. Last November, the California Medical Association reported that more than 82 percent of California’s emergency rooms are losing money.
Paramedics must often drive around for an extra 20 minutes in search of a hospital that will accept a patient in need of emergency care.
Many patients utilizing the emergency room have no insurance, or are underinsured, meaning the hospital gets little or no reimbursement. Some doctors refuse to be on call to see patients in the ER since often times they are not getting paid.
Though there are few hard numbers, doctors insist the problem of emergency room overcrowding should be a front burner issue for California’s public and private interests.
This week, “California Connected” takes an inside look at two emergency rooms: St. Francis in Los Angeles and St. Luke’s in San Francisco.
Though separated by hundreds of miles, these are both hospitals on the frontlines of Califirnia’s emergency room crisis.
November 10th, 2006 at 10:37 pm
I just watched Ward 9. Very sad and very well done. My question is; are there any ways in which volunteers could help veterans. I am a semi-retiring nurse with much to give mentally and in teaching but limited in the ability to do any heavy lifting. Can your site direct me to the correct source? Thanks for your time and for a very informative show.