Overcrowded ERs Mean Patients Wait Hours, with Targets Left Unmet
In the hectic environment of a hospital emergency department, a doctor’s first words to patients have taken on a somber tone: “I’m sorry for how long you’ve been waiting.” For one ER consultant, apologies have become the default introduction as patients endure prolonged delays due to severe shortages in both staffing and beds.
Reflecting on the early days of his career in 2007, the doctor recalls a time when the goal of treating or admitting patients within four hours was not just achievable but the standard. “Back then, I never saw a patient waiting in a corridor,” he shares. Now, that four-hour target seems like a distant memory, replaced by struggle to meet even a 12-hour timeframe as the healthcare system faces unprecedented pressure. For both patients and staff, the realities of today’s emergency departments have shifted, leaving medical teams stretched and patients in discomfort.
