A Shortage of Hospitals

A tidal wave of illegal immigrants and the uninsured is slowing inundating the nation’s hospital system. The people who rely most on hospitals for medical care typically have no insurance or are on the state’s Medicaid program, which is notorious for offering low reimbursement rates. As a result, hospitals have become overcrowded and grossly underfunded. More hospitals have shut down, which only exacerbates an already serious problem. One microcosm of this national crisis exists in South Los Angeles, where patients line up outside a hospital as early as two hours before it even opens. In this post, we’ll explore the reasons behind this crisis and its implications.

The Origin of the Problem

Since 2000, 15 general acute car hospitals have shut down in Los Angeles County, and about half of these served residents of South Los Angeles. As a result, one of the few remaining clinics has experienced a 70% increase in patients since the closures. Patients line up outside the clinic as early as 6:30 AM to receive care. Some patients have ill infants in their arms; others are elderly with multiple chronic illnesses.

The Ramifications

The loss of so many hospitals has left the city’s sickest and poorest residents largely without healthcare. South Los Angeles has become one of the most difficult locations to both give and receive healthcare. Family doctors are scarce because physician recruiters have a hard time drawing doctors to the area. Chronically ill residents don’t even know what to expect if they call 911. Once resident took an ambulance to two different hospitals, both of which were full, before being transported to a third hospital miles and miles away from his home. For some patients, the shortage has meant life and death. One woman reports that a friend of hers died from gunshot would recently, and she believes he could’ve been saved had there been an open hospital closer to where he lived. The hospitals struggle to maintain financially with abysmal reimbursement rates and a flood of uninsured patients. Continuing budget cuts will only fuel the crisis, as the Lost Angeles County health department is already struggling to stay afloat.