Letter to the editor: Hospitals need better system for excessive wait times

My husband recently had to drive me to the emergency room. I have a heart condition that will cause my heart to race and beat erratically. This could result in a blood clot, potentially leading to a stroke.

I was asked to sit in the waiting room. I met a young man who had been there for 6.5 hours with a potential blood clot. A child with a head injury sat crying for about two hours. I could wait no longer and left after 6 hours, even though my heart was still beating erratically. When I exited, a woman waiting for a ride said she couldn’t wait any longer. She was raced there hours earlier by ambulance because of chest pain.

I know that covid has filled up the beds, but is it too much for a hospital to inform those entering the emergency room that the wait may be excessive because of lack of rooms? This would give people the option to seek help elsewhere. You can call a number to find out where you are in the wait queue, but it gives no information on wait time.

Cindy Vicker

New Kensington