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July 08, 2008
Chicago Tribune interviews Stotland about Green tragedy
In continuing coverage from previous editions of Headlines, Judith Graham wrote in the Chicago Tribune's (7/3) Triage column about the incident last week in which Esmin Green died in a Brooklyn, N.Y. hospital while "awaiting admission for psychiatric care."
Graham interviewed psychiatrist Nada Stotland, M.D., president of the American Psychiatric Association, "about the incident, and what it says about mental healthcare in this country." Dr. Stotland pointed out that "since there are so few [hospital psychiatric] beds," patients "often end up staying in the emergency room for an unconscionable period of time."
To address the problem, "we need more psychiatric beds, properly staffed with properly trained people." But, "across the country, these beds have been closing, and there's nowhere for people who are acutely ill to go," Dr. Stotland explained. In addition, "few ER personnel are trained to understand or treat psychiatric illness."
Dr. Stotland concluded that it is "absolutely needless for anyone to die for want of care." The U.S. is "the richest country in the world. And our first obligation as a society, as far as I'm concerned, is to take care of the people who are least able to take care of themselves."
Related Links:
- "A psychiatrist examines Esmin Green tragedy," Judith Graham, Chicago Tribune, July 3, 2008.
Posted by admin at July 8, 2008 12:57 AM