Minnesota mental health patients stay 25 hours longer than necessary in ER because of shortages

When patients in mental health crises get stuck in Minnesota’s emergency rooms, they stay 25 hours longer on average than necessary—taking up hospital space as well as the time of doctors and nurses, who could otherwise focus on the next emergencies. Researchers documented the length of these delays by studying patient activity over 14 days last fall at more than 30 Minnesota hospitals, but they also provided vital evidence about which patients were most likely to suffer delays, and why. Knowing which patients are at risk can help the state come up with treatments that target this population and prevent Read More