MACON, Ga. — If you go to an emergency room anywhere in Georgia, you could be waiting for several hours. Our Atlanta station 11Alive checked into wait times in the state, including talking with one man who waited 13 hours at two Emory Healthcare ER. The hospitals they spoke to blamed staffing shortages and other workplace problems. At Central Georgia hospitals, some people wait while others just leave.
Thelma Oldham and Denise Drake waited more than three hours in the waiting room but even longer for a hospital bed at Piedmont Macon Medical Center. Oldham took Drake to the hospital after she says she was in a car accident. However, they weren't the only ones who waited and Oldham says everyone was frustrated.
"It was a lot of people that left. It was a lot of people that was real sick," Oldham said.
Across the state of Georgia, some hospitals are experiencing longer than usual wait times in the ER according to the Georgia Coordinating Center. They track ERs across the state. On their website, Atrium Health Navicent, Piedmont Macon, and Piedmont Macon North were all severely overcrowded Friday. 13WMAZ reached out to Piedmont for comment and they said...
"It has long been a goal at Piedmont to make emergency department visits as smooth and efficient as possible for our patients. Currently, some hospitals across Georgia and the country may be experiencing longer wait times due to the health care worker shortage. Depending on volume and patient acuity, wait times vary throughout the day. Our goal is always to see patients as quickly as possible once they are triaged in our waiting room. When appropriate, we suggest some patients visit one of our local urgent care centers or take advantage of tele-visits.”
13WMAZ also reached out to Atrium Health Navicent, who said:
"Like other health care systems across the nation, Atrium Health Navicent is experiencing increased patient volumes. Our dedicated teammates are working to ensure all patients receive the appropriate level of care. Patients are urged to take advantage of virtual visits and appointments at Atrium Health Navicent’s three urgent care centers for non-emergency treatment. For more information about virtual visits and our urgent care centers, visit navicenthealth.org."
Wait times at the ER at Fairview Hospital in Dublin was less than 10 minutes. Both hospitals encourage viewers to use their virtual visit option or go to their local urgent care locations. If you are in a serious emergency, please call 911 and go to the hospital for more assistance.