ATLANTA — The cold is being blamed in part for exceedingly long wait times at Grady Memorial Hospital. At times, on Tuesday, wait times were as long as 15 hours, according to workers in the emergency room.
“I’ve been here since 10 a.m.,” said Latifah Stephens, who was leaving Grady at about 9 p.m. on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for Grady said the cold temperatures, and the usual early week rush, could be the reason behind the extended wait times. Denise Simpson emphasized that patients with imminent, critical issues are seen immediately. She said wait times often depend on what you say you are sick with.
Elisa Tranpham, a paramedic in south Fulton County, said when the cold weather hits, more homeless people go to the emergency room to escape the frigid temperatures. Grady Hospital cannot turn away any patient.
“I have seen that there are many people that as soon as they see a doctor, they resign themselves in,” said Tranphan. “If I was living in the streets, I would probably come in for a warm place to stay.”
Tranphan said, in her experience, Grady always triages patients and provides immediate services to those critically in need.
According to the most recent numbers from the government, on average, wait times at Grady Memorial Hospital are about 3 hours and 20 minutes to see a health care professions. The nationwide average is 27 minutes. Katheryn Preston said inadequate housing for the homeless ends up costing more through E.R. visits.
“It is costing the taxpayers, because the folks that are going in, a lot of them are uninsured,” said Katheryn Preston, with the Georgia Alliance to End Homelessness.
WSBTV
