It is frustrating when you are sick but your doctor cannot get you in for an appointment. Doctors are also increasingly refusing to see patients who have an illness that may be contagious. In situations where you really need medical care, you may end up having to go to the emergency room.
This is a too common situation, which leads to overloaded ERs. When the ER staff has a high patient load, it can increase the probability of errors occurring.
Tying up resources
The ER is typically reserved for emergency situations where you need immediate medical care due to potentially serious injuries or illnesses. It is not for routine medical checks or minor illnesses. However, when doctors refuse to see certain patients, there is no other choice but to flood the ER or urgent care centers. This ties up resources needed for those who really do have serious medical problems. It also increases the stress for staff.
Problems coming up
With ER staff feeling overwhelmed by an influx of patients, many of whom do not have severe medical issues, it can lead to more errors. They are trying to juggle too many patients while still having to give priority to anyone who comes in with a medical emergency. Having to jump from patient to patient can easily lead to mistakes. It could also delay care for those who really need immediate attention.
Issues such as medication errors, patient mix-ups and overlooked problems can occur easily in a situation where ERs are overflowing due to doctors refusing to see their patients.
