My year in the Honors Mentorship Program has been nothing short of exciting. I have had the wonderful opportunity of following several doctors and nurses around the Northeast Georgia Medical Center Emergency Department. I have been able to observe and learn about conditions and medical problems that students my age couldn't even dream of. I have had an absolutely amazing experience!
One of the things I have observed is that more often than not, wait times in the ER are outrageous. And it’s not just the time spent waiting in the waiting room. It also encompasses time spent waiting to see a doctor, time spent waiting on test results and medicine, or time spent waiting for a hospital room to open up to be admitted. I have researched both the factors that contribute to long wait times as well as many options to curb these wait times. I have looked into several programs and procedures that are being implemented in hospitals around the globe to control waiting. I have also shared my findings with both my mentor and classes at my high school, and organized a website to help spread information. |