Overcrowding in Raleigh's emergency room
http://www.nbc17.com/health/8152254/detail.html
Fire Marshal Cites WakeMed For Overcrowding
Hospital Spokeswoman Blames Crowding On Population Growth
POSTED: 10:54 pm EST March 20, 2006
UPDATED: 12:46 pm EST March 21, 2006
RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Raleigh fire marshal issued WakeMed on New Bern Avenue a citation last week because hospital beds were crowding the hallways in the emergency room.
Over the last two weeks, the hospital has been operating at 120 percent capacity.
"At one point last week, we got to the point where we were going to have to early discharge the moms of newborns and let them stay in a hotel," said Debbie Laughery, a WakeMed spokeswoman.
At another point, the hospital's emergency room became so overcrowded that patients were placed on beds and put in the hallway. Someone called the fire marshal, who came down and hit the hospital with a citation.
"We were doing everything in our power to provide the absolute best care possible under really, really busy, busy times," Laughery said.
WakeMed is not alone. Emergency rooms across the country are overcrowded and understaffed. According to medical research, an increasing number of people are using emergency rooms for primary care, for complaints such as stomachaches and colds, for example. Some patients do this because they have no medical insurance to pay and know the emergency room cannot turn them away.
Laughery said that might be a part of the problem at WakeMed. But she said the county's population growth is the biggest reason for overcrowding.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that Wake County doubled its population between 1980 and 2000, with 326,500 new people. Laughery said hospitals in the area have not gotten new beds since the 1980s.
Meanwhile, the Raleigh fire marshal said he waived the $100 fee that came along with the citation because the hospital found a new space to put patients when it becomes overcrowded and agreed to follow its diversion policy.
There was no outbreak of any specific illness that led to the emergency room being so overcrowded.
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I wonder how much illegal immigration plays in this?
