A ‘Barbaric’ Problem in American Hospitals Is Only Getting Bigger By Elisabeth Rosenthal April 24, 2026

A ‘Barbaric’ Problem in American Hospitals Is Only Getting Bigger Patients are getting stuck in the emergency department for days while waiting for a spot in an inpatient ward. https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/emergency-room-ed-boarding-hospital-beds-long-waits-crisis/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_DwvFmkx2CYYQ0BLAyXaIGIWnL1BdXKIMdwjZ7xsCbG3xYXVhN-8QIKEbhm_ih7BXiUIH4_j5BcT6ec811NpT-AWBC-Q&_hsmi=415522585&utm_content=415522585&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: A ‘Barbaric’ Problem In American Hospitals Is Only Getting Bigger In the last months, weeks, and days of his life, “I will not go to the emergency room” became my husband’s mantra. Andrej had esophageal cancer that had spread throughout his body (but not to his ever-willful brain), and, having trained as a doctor, I had jury-rigged a hospital at home, aided by specialists who got me pills to boost blood pressure; to dampen the effects of liver failure; to stem his cough; to help him swallow, wake up, fall asleep. (Rosenthal, 4/24)