Due to state budget cuts mentally ill inundate ERs

 This post is in response to MSNBC article “Mentally ill flood ERs as states cut services” here is the link to the original article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45790987/

The article discusses how there has been a significant increase of psychiatric patients into many emergency rooms. Other then issues involving overcrowding in these hospitals, there is also added stress on the ER doctors because they are not prepared to handle the severe mental issues some patients come in with. Many of these patients leave doctors to treat the issue of needing a warm bed for the night as many of the patients are homeless and or jobless. Both the patient overload and doctor shortage are results from governmental budget cuts. Many of these patients have no where to turn to because their community facilities have shut down or cut programs that once supplied them with the help they needed. Many of the physicians have been left to deal with patients who need more help then they can give or feel safe giving. 

As some of the comments follow the article it is important to note this is only one health department/section that is suffering from financial problems. Other types of facilities such as developmental and correctional centers are also suffering with less money and too few providers. This is the “worst economic crisis since the great depression to take toll” and the results are cuts in budgets for everyone but as always hitting the forgotten populations the worst. It is a vicious circle that is hard to break free from for both patients and doctors. 

If there were more facilities open then the patients would have the ability to go where they choose instead of going to the ER. If there were more physicians and or psychiatrists available or working in these centers than there wouldn’t be a stress placed on the physicians to fix problems that they are not qualified to treat.  These issues would be less severe if there was better national funding starting at the center, the government.

  Even though funding is the basic cause for these unbalanced numbers, here at Annashae we are more than glad to help. 

 If you are a facility in need of staffing help please emailing recruiting@annashae.com for more information. Or if you are a physician interested in working in these areas please email recruiting@annashae.com as we would be glad to discuss with you where we need your help.