Overecrowding has led to an increase in boarding (the practice of treating patients in the ER hallways):
The group sent a 10-question survey about boarding to its 2,821 members in New York State, New Jersey and Connecticut. In New York, 28.2 percent of those responding said they “personally had experience of a patient dying as a result of boarding.”
In Connecticut, 16.2 percent of the doctors responding said they had had a patient die as a result of boarding, and in New Jersey 11.9 percent of the doctors said they had.
The doctors requested anonymity and were reluctant to provide details about cases because of possible lawsuits and other repercussions.
(via symtym)
