One NJ patient waited 26 hours for a hospital bed — and overcrowded ERs are becoming normal

Many of us, unfortunately, have been there. From Johnny’s sprained finger from climbing a fence, to Aunt Milly’s heart attack, to grandpa tripping over the dog, we ended up in the ER. It is a long, disturbing experience that we instantly regret but once we have been cared for, we are thankful for the help in feeling better.

ER’s have been more crowded since COVID and seasonal strains of flu breakouts. The hospitals are understaffed and work tirelessly in trying to prioritize serious life illnesses and then accommodate those who need attention.

Unless you have a severe ailment that needs immediate attention, your wait, in most cases in the ER will be long.

Another factor to consider is that some individuals who carry just Medicare or Medicaid, and those unfortunate people who do not have health insurance, are using the ER as a doctor’s office. It is the only place that they can go to get treatment. That is a necessary burden on the staff and long ER wait times.

The average wait in a New Jersey hospital is 173 minutes

Wait times are typically close to three hours, according to a study conducted by Compare the Market.

The study gathered information by looking at the number of hospitals per 100,000 people and the number of hospital beds per 100,000 people. Nationally, ER wait time information was also a factor.

The United States, on average, has the lowest number of hospitals and the lowest number of hospital beds per 100,000 people in the world.

On average, the United States has only 1.84 hospitals per 100,000 people. Couple with only 2.74 hospital beds per 100,000 people and ERs are stacked up with long waiting times.

Unfortunately, I needed to go to the emergency room more times than I care to admit. Trust me, when I took that trip, it was because I really needed to go. Most of those trips to the ER resulted in hospital stays.

I spent 26 hours in a New Jersey ER waiting for a hospital bed once, but the care I received in the ER was stellar. From nurses to PAs to the doctors and technicians, they were all compassionate and did what they could to make me feel comfortable in the ER.

They never stopped.

There were gurneys lined up and down the corridors, every ER trauma room was occupied. They work hard and try to keep a great spirit and understanding that the patient is concerned, in pain and very anxious. I was taken aback by the overwhelming work that ER personnel do every day.

Good luck and I hope that you never have to go to an ER, but if you do, be prepared to wait.

Read the entire study here.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host Big Joe Henry. Any opinions expressed are Big Joe’s own.

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