Portrait of an ER at the Breaking Point

This story is a true eye opener on the story of of an ER trauma center and well worth taking a look at...BD

“You want to give quality care but you can't,” said Charge Nurse Sherika Kimbrough. “We're at our breaking point.” Same goes for the physicians, who also have malpractice suits to worry about. Two years ago, Kellerman received a resignation letter from a top-notch doctor. “I can't take it anymore,” she told him. “I am so afraid of making a mistake that I'm vomiting in my driveway before I go to work.”

Postscript: since the time of this report, Grady's condition has worsened. The institution has had to slash costs to remain viable. Earlier this year, it offered buyouts to 560 older and more experienced personnel; 420 of them accepted. With the help of the consulting firm of Alvarez & Marsal, which specializes in rescuing companies, Grady is studying a host of other potential cuts, including its dialysis program and its neighborhood health centers.