I meant to post this last week, but here’s a short documentary entitled “Waiting for Health Care” that ran in The Times. It captures moments in what is a likely a typical day at an emergency room in Oakland, California:
The events depicted here are probably similar to those of any other major urban medical center, but the video does highlight how difficult it is for most uninsured people to access preventive care . Many of these folks could be treated more efficiently and inexpensively at an outpatient clinic, but that’s simply not an option for the uninsured. The ER is the de facto primary care clinic for millions of people, which strains hospital resources to the breaking point and deprives patients of quality care.
And if the Court strikes down the Affordable Care Act, ER waiting rooms will continue to serve as the triage nurse for the nation’s dysfunctional health care system.
Yesterday I watched this video and found it to be very compelling. Today I was denied health care.