One ER Visit; Two Contrasting Stories

My latest NPR article was about conflicting accounts of the same ER visit. I presented the case of a man who came in with chest pain. He was deeply upset about his care, but the providers had a very different perspective.

Heart of the Matter: Treating the Disease Instead of the Person

I had no idea that that this article would draw so many comments (nearly 300,000 at last check). Scott Hensley, NPR’s Shots editor, posted a compilation of the comments, along with my remark:

"While I'm gratified that so many readers appreciate the time pressures of working in a busy ER, I am saddened by how many respondents accept that efficiency must come at the expense of humanity. Our health-care system needs to change to bridge the disconnect between what patients need and what hospitals do. All of us — as providers and patients —need to speak up, and demand a system that values both competence and compassion, and enables doctors to practice true patient-centered care."

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What can be done to improve our healthcare system?