Patient Waits Long for Help; Gridlock of 12 Ambulance Crews at Stradiņš Hospital
A patient with suspected stroke experienced a prolonged wait due to an ambulance congestion at Stradiņš Hospital, raising questions about patient diversion and the capacity of other hospitals in Latvia.
Silvija, a patient with high blood pressure and suspected stroke, recalls little from the incident but remembers hearing medics talk about the long wait. Lying in the ambulance, she lost track of time. She was in constant contact with a female Emergency Medical Service (EMS) worker, and Silvija suggests that this worker performed the lumbar puncture because the other two crew members were men.
On Monday, June 8, a congestion of 12 ambulance crews occurred at Stradiņš Hospital, prompting questions: why were patients not diverted to other hospitals if possible? And how many patients can other major Latvian hospitals admit per day?
The EMS acknowledges that such gridlocks are not uncommon, especially on Mondays. However, this incident highlights systemic issues where resources are insufficient to provide timely care to all patients. The management of patient flow and the role of alternative hospitals are becoming increasingly pressing.
