Updated
Updated · HuffPost · Jun 14
88-Year-Old Maria Was Taken to ER for Doctor to Break Cousin's Death
Updated
Updated · HuffPost · Jun 14

88-Year-Old Maria Was Taken to ER for Doctor to Break Cousin's Death

1 articles · Updated · HuffPost · Jun 14

Summary

  • Maria, 88, arrived at the emergency room listed with fatigue, but her exam was normal and she said nothing was wrong.
  • Three relatives then told the doctor they had brought her in so someone else could tell her that her favorite cousin had been shot and killed.
  • The family feared the news could trigger a heart attack or stroke and wanted her in a place where immediate care was available.
  • The doctor refused to deliver the news herself, instead promising to stay nearby while the family told Maria together at her bedside.
  • Maria suffered no medical crisis and went home about 1 hour later, in an encounter the physician said restored her sense of purpose.

Insights

As ERs are overwhelmed, can our healthcare system still afford to treat emotional crises as medical emergencies?
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