Waiting For Medical Care

How long do you think you should have to wait to see an emergency room doctor? A couple of nights ago, a family member had a bad reaction to some new medication. His throat began to swell and he was having trouble breathing. I took him to the emergency room at John Peter Smith Hospital, the public hospital in Fort Worth.

We arrived at the emergency room about 11:30pm. The doctor actually saw him seven hours later at 6:30am. When I complained about the long wait, the doctor informed me that we had received expedited service because of the seriousness of the breathing problems. He was right! There were several people there who had arrived 3 or 4 hours earlier than we had, and they were still there when we left. This means they had to wait 10 to 12 hours to see a doctor.

I can assure you that any fool that brags about America having the best medical system in the world, has not had to wait 7 to 12 hours to see a doctor. If you are rich, then it is a great medical system, because you can buy whatever care you need at any facility you want. For the middle-class, the medical care is less. They get the care that the insurance companies will pay for. If a doctor recommends care not approved by the insurance company, you do not get that care. For the poor, it is even worse. The poor and uninsured are the ones who must wait for hours to receive care. And this is not just a Fort Worth problem. It is the same all across this country.

Ask yourself the following question, "Would I want a family member to have to wait 7 to 12 hours to receive medical care"? If the answer is no, then why is it all right to make others do this? We are the only industrialized nation that does not provide adequate health care to all of its citizens. It is time to rectify this situation. It is time to institute a "single-payer" health care system in this country.