Quality of Care in Emergency Rooms is on the Decline
In 2006, 119.2 million patients visited the ER, approximately 24% more than in 1995. In many instances, the ER is the only option for people who do not have health insurance.

April 07, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Quality of Care in Emergency Rooms is on the Decline

Article provided by The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. Please visit our Web site at www.smith-doran.com.

The malls are quiet. The realtor's phone doesn't ring. But at least one American workplace is bursting at the seams with customers clamoring for service. The trouble is that our nation's emergency rooms can't handle any more business.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in recent years, more Americans have sought treatment in hospital emergency rooms (or ERs) than ever before. In 2006, 119.2 million patients visited the ER, approximately 24% more than in 1995. In many instances, the ER is the only option for people who do not have health insurance. But while the demand for care is on the rise, nearly 400 of our country's ERs have closed during the past decade, putting more pressure on the remaining facilities.

The results are predictable: our ERs are overcrowded. Ambulances are frequently diverted away from the closest hospital, because the ER is too busy to accept another new patient. When all the available rooms are full, patients line the hallways. Wait times are longer than ever. The quality of emergency medical care suffers, and there have been documented delays in the administration of antibiotics and other medication. Treatment for patients in severe pain is sometimes delayed, and occasionally overlooked entirely. In addition, patients who should be admitted to the hospital are sometimes sent home. While ER patients' rights to receive prompt and appropriate medical treatment is protected under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, our current health care system may not be up to the task of providing it.

Mistakes made in overcrowded ERs by tired, overworked medical professionals are often associated with medical malpractice issues such as misdiagnosis, failure to diagnose, inappropriate follow-up care and prescription errors. The Institute of Medicine estimates that up to 98,000 people a year die in hospitals from these types of preventable medical slip-ups. Individuals who have suffered serious injury or medical complications after being seen in the ER may wish to speak to an experienced medical malpractice attorney about possible legal options.

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