Unfortunately, a new study revealed recently that New Jersey emergency room waiting room times, at 30 minutes on average per, are greater than 40 other states.
According to NJ1015.com, once patients seeking emergency assistance in the Garden State actually make it out of emergency room waiting rooms, they still spend an average of 148 minutes inside facilities. This is 15 minutes longer than the national average.
The information comes from ProPublica, which used data tracked by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to compile the emergency room wait times for each state. In addition to these times, ProPublica also reported that on average it takes a patient 143 minutes in New Jersey to be transported to a room once they are admitted to a hospital for observation and treatment, which is significantly longer than the national average of 97 minutes.
Because of this, according to NJ1015.com, the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) gave New Jersey a D-plus for its malpractice rules and emergency room care practices for 2014.
“New Jersey is unique compared to other states because we’ve had many hospital closures in the last 20 years, and so there’s fewer emergency departments for patients to present to,” Dr. Michael Gerardi, president of the ACEP said, according to the news outlet.
Speaking to a Middlesex County Injury Attorney about a Medical Malpractice Claim
It is unfortunate that people who need emergency medical care in New Jersey have to wait so long for treatment. Often, injury victims or people who are suffering from medical ailments may not have symptoms presenting themselves as needing immediate assistance, even though it may be required.
Prolonged emergency room wait times could leave patients venerable to further injury or death.
Healthcare providers have a duty to make sure that patients are seen in a reasonable amount of time. Increased staffing or a change in approaches may be necessary for facilities that have prolonged wait times.
While doctors perform life saving duties in emergency rooms, mistakes, including the inattention to time, can lead to complications that could adversely affect a patient, as well as their family and friends.
If you believe that your healthcare provider failed to treat you properly resulting in further injuries, or if your loved one died while receiving medical care, contact the attorneys at Spevack Law Firm immediately to protect your legal rights. You may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit, seeking damages for your losses, and/or your pain and suffering.
To see how we have helped injury victims, visit our verdicts and settlements page. Our attorneys have vast experience in cases involving medical malpractice. We are willing to take a case all the way to trial, if it demands it. There are no excuses for substandard medical treatment.
Spevack Law Firm – Middlesex County Injury Attorneys
Source: http://nj1015.com/new-jerseys-emergency-room-wait-times-higher-than-average/