Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Death in ER Ruled Homicide

Beatrice Vance, a 49 year-old patient at Vista Medical Center ER in Lake County, Ill., died while waiting to be seen by a doctor. She came to the ER with complaints of shortness of breath, nausea and chest pains. After a cursory consultation with a nurse, she was told to wait.

Two hours later, when the staff was ready to see her, they found her slumped in a chair, already dead.

In a surprising verdict, the coroner's jury ruled the death a homicide. ABC news quoted Dr. Richard Keller, Lake County Coroner, as saying "Ms. Vance had the classic symptoms of a heart attack. She should have been in the emergency department much quicker and received the care that we have in modern medicine."

ER wait times nationally have steadily increased, to 125 percent of what they were ten years ago, according to a June 2006 study done by the Institute of Medicine. That same study says a half million ambulance calls were diverted in 2005 because of ER overcrowding.

Of course, I view this as more evidence of the critical need for reforming and transforming the healthcare industry.

An industry that cares more about the bottom line than the dying woman's flatline cries out for change.