Our Healthcare system really needs to change!!

[Danete Compton]

 

I have decided recently that our healthcare system is not set up to help everyone. I know that for someone with a mental illness who goes to the ER, they can not get the help that they need. Whats even worse is the fact that the doctors can release them even if they are not stable. This is scary, how can a doctor release someone that could possibly be a danger to themselves. What I have found out is that in order to get help it takes having the police department contacted and having a report filed in order to get this person into a hospital for mental illness. This needs to change, More hospitals need to have the means to treat someone with a mental illness.

[Bri285]

Sadly, out healthcare system is based off a business model. Doctors should not release a person they have reason to believe is a danger to himself/herself or others. If this occurred, then it was due to poor judgement by the doctor. What happens, when a person is admitted to the psych ward is that after the mandated 24 or 48 hr period that same person can sign him/herself out of the ward. So it becomes a revolving door at hospitals, and I suspect that many doctors don't admit patients for this reason. At the same time, a doctor is liable for releasing a person who later hurts himself/herself or others, and the doctor was clearly presented with the signs that this would occur during the ER visit. The business mentality comes in when the hospital staff runs the person's health insurance, if any. This determines how much medical care the person will receive at the hospital. If it is a private hospital, and the person doesn't have insurance he/she will only receive minimal care. If the insurance does not pay for many services, then they won't get all the help they need. It's very sad that this is how the system works, but people continuously support these models until one of their loved ones is affected. 

I'm sorry you have to go through this, but I hope things work out.