2005 Press Releases
Emergency Department volume continues to climb Mirrors national trends On the busiest of days in Rome Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department, there can be as many as 15 to 20 patients who are all seeking treatment at the same time. Some people arrive with life-threatening problems like a heart attack or respiratory distress and they are rushed through the double doors immediately. Those with more minor problems wait until one of its eight treatment room becomes available, and then, they are taken in order of the seriousness of their medical conditions, which is determined by a triage process. “Although most people understand the concept of triage, it’s still not easy for them to have to wait when they’re in pain, anxious or just don’t feel well,” said Emergency Services Director Kathy O’Rourke, R.N. “Triage is a process of assessing patients and the severity of their conditions and prioritizing them so the most emergent patients are cared for first.” “In the first five months of the year, we’ve seen continued growth in the number of patients who need our care. It is especially busy in the evenings and on weekends when physician offices are typically closed. We have a physician assistant on staff to assist the doctor from 1 to 9 p.m. during peak volume periods.” Hospitals across the nation are experiencing a sharp increase in the number of emergency patients, which is creating a shortage of available hospital beds and overcrowding of their emergency rooms. While those with life-threatening conditions are still receiving immediate attention, those who can wait to be treated are waiting longer than ever for care. According to a report released May 26 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. emergency department visits reached a record high of nearly 114 million in 2003, a 26% increase over 1993 rates. The report attributes the rise in visits to increased use by adults, especially those age 65 and over, and said Medicaid patients were four times more likely to seek treatment in an emergency department than those with private insurance. Emergency departments are a safety net and often the place of first resort for health care for America’s poor and uninsured. “Rome Memorial Hospital is not immune from this crisis, which is why we are building a new Emergency Department,” said President/Chief Executive Officer Darlene Burns, M.S., R.N. “Regrettably, until the new Emergency Department is built, those who have less serious problems will continue to experience long waits because of the lack of space. We respectfully ask for the community’s patience as we address this difficult situation.” As a not-for-profit facility, Rome Memorial Hospital provides emergency care to everyone, regardless of ability to pay. About 13% of patients do not have insurance and 15% do not have a regular doctor. “We treat a number of patients for minor problems that could be seen at an urgent care center or a physician’s office,” O’Rourke said. “When they come to the Emergency Department, they often have to wait because we have to prioritize patients through the triage process and care for our most emergent patients first. Out triage nurses are formally trained to evaluate and prioritize our patients.” Because of the aging of the population, the Emergency Department has also noted a significant increase in the number of senior patients who typically require more extensive testing and treatment. “People don’t often realize how much time it takes for the evaluation, diagnosis and decision process,” O’Rourke said. “It can take up to two hours to get test results back and then those results may prompt more testing. This is one of the reasons why it’s very difficult to give people an estimate of how long they will have to wait. We don’t know what the tests are going to reveal. Also, if another patient arrives in serious condition, the wait time will again be extended.” O’Rourke said the Emergency Department presents many challenges for her staff. “They work in the ED because their passion is taking care of the patients,” she said. “But, every hour of patient care also generates about an hour of paperwork to meet rules set by government and other agencies. Our staff often sit at the desk to catch up on paperwork during their mealtimes, just so they have more time to dedicate to their patients.” According to O’Rourke, another issue that they face is balancing the need to protect a patient’s privacy, while still responding to a family member who is seeking reassurance that a loved one is all right. “The federal privacy laws, commonly known as HIPAA, strictly limit our ability to share information, even with a family member without the patient’s permission. Even before HIPAA, we took a conservative approach, because some of our patients are victims of assault, rape and domestic violence. We don’t want to put patients at risk by inadvertently acknowledging their whereabouts.” “Our goal, first and foremost is to deliver quality care to our patients,” O’Rourke said. “When every second counts, we do exceed the standards. For example, Rome Memorial Hospital has an excellent record in treating heart attack patients. We beat the 30-minute national average for delivering life-saving drugs to our patients by approximately eight minutes.” “Please, recognize that our doctors, nurses and support staff are heroically working under stressful conditions to take care of our community,” Mrs. Burns said. “They don’t have any control over the number of people who come through their doors. But, they will do everything in their power to take care of you when you need their expertise.” Mrs. Burns urged patients or their families to contact the nursing supervisor if they have any concerns during their visit. | 