A ‘barbaric’ problem in American hospitals is only getting bigger
The author recounts her husband's experiences with 'emergency department boarding', where patients wait for hospital beds in the ER, often for days, receiving subpar care. She describes the poor conditions and inadequate staffing in these overflow areas.
Andrej, the author's husband, had esophageal cancer and multiple hospital visits, where he experienced 'emergency department boarding'. Patients wait in the ER for hospital beds, sometimes for days, receiving inadequate care. In one instance, Andrej lay on a hard stretcher for over 36 hours, becoming delirious and convinced that doctors were 'the enemy'. He was eventually moved to an 'ED overflow area', a former labor and delivery floor with inadequate personnel. The staff was overworked, and care was subpar, with soiled sheets not being changed and inappropriate food being served. The author describes the conditions as 'barbaric' and notes that this problem is getting bigger in American hospitals.
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