Hospitals are setting aside part of their Emergency department to also handle mentally ill patients.
There is a great increase in the psychiatric patients turning towards emergency care. But the emergency departments are not well equipped to tackle the psychiatric patients.These patients end up facing serious consequences because of lack of proper medical care available to attend to their needs.
To illustrate it with an example, Forsyth Medical Center has seen an increase of 9% (2005) in the psychiatric patients turning towards emergency departments for help when compared to last year. Wake Forest Baptist has seen an increase (25%) in the number of emergency room to handle psychiatric patients from 2001. Greensboro hospitals, taken care by Moses Cone Health System also saw a raise in the number of mentally ill patients (600-700) pouring in each month.
All this is due to the modifications introduced in the state health care services for mentally ill patients. As such the above mentioned hospitals are not equipped to handle psychiatric patients and it was initially very difficult.
These patients become violent as soon as they stop the medication that is given to them and are admitted against their wish by the family.
These patients require specifically trained nurses and other health care officials to tackle them. They need special, private, safe rooms that the normal emergency rooms lack.
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Forsyth Medical Center inaugurated a new emergency department investing ($18 million) in 2004. This includes specially trained nurses and health care officials, secure rooms and other facilities needed by these patients. Wesley Long Community Hospital owned by the Moses Cone Health System will open a new psychiatric department in 2006.
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Hence in conclusion lot of community based health care hospitals that are able to tackle mentally ill patients are needed.
