Long Waits in Emergency Rooms
AURORA, Ill. — Long emergency room waits in the U.S. are becoming increasingly common, especially among older patients, many of whom find themselves waiting for hours or even days before being admitted to a hospital bed.
Experts warn that this issue is poised to worsen, coinciding with the anticipated “silver tsunami” of an aging population, increasingly burdened with complex medical conditions and rising dementia cases.
The Experience of Families
In a heartwrenching narrative, Tracy Balhan reminisces about her father, Bill Speer, who struggled with dementia. Balhan shared how her father spent 12 hours in the ER at Endeavor Health in Naperville, Illinois, waiting for a psychiatric evaluation with no dignity during his suffering.
BALHAN: ‘He was strapped down. There was nothing he could do. So he was fighting, like banging his head.’
Such experiences are not uncommon, as a report by The Associated Press and Side Effects Public Media highlights that in 2022, three million ER visits resulted in waits of four hours or longer before patients were admitted to a hospital.
Increasing Demand and Complex Illnesses
Data shows that approximately half of the patients experiencing ER boarding were aged 65 or above. According to Dr. Arjun Venkatesh of Yale University, this trend speaks to the growing complexity of illnesses facing our aging population.
VENKATESH: ‘People have way more complicated illnesses…’
The factors at play include a stagnation in the number of hospital beds available, even as emergency department visits have surged by 30-40% over the past two decades. Hospitals often prioritize patients based on reimbursement potential from insurance companies, leaving many emergency patients without timely care.
Consequences for Caregivers
Family members of patients in crisis find themselves in difficult positions, relying on emergency services as a last resort. Nancy Fregeau, an Illinois resident, described her husband Michael’s experiences in ERs,
FREGEAU: ‘…I cannot imagine someone with dementia being in there. That was so hard for him.’
This sentiment is echoed by many caregivers, who do not attribute the lengthy waits to the medical staff, but rather to systemic issues within the healthcare system.
Calls for Change
Organizations such as the American College of Emergency Physicians are advocating for systemic changes in policy and hospital practices to address the issue of ER boarding. Nevertheless, progress has been slow. Balhan reflects the frustration felt by many, emphasizing the need for compassion in care.
BALHAN: ‘People didn’t look at my dad as a man… It didn’t feel to me like he was being treated with any dignity.’
The experiences shared by families indicate a pressing need for the healthcare system to prepare for the increasing numbers of dementia patients as demographic trends shift.
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