With mental health beds in short supply, emergency rooms have become the only care option for many people suffering a psychiatric episode, according to an article on the Kaiser Health News website.
To address this need, more hospitals are opening ERs that cater to mental health patients.
At the relatively new ward at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro, near the Port of Los Angeles, patients can rest in recliners, draped in soft blankets.
The open design of the unit, known as the “Outpatient Behavioral Health Center,” allows patients to move freely. Staff said it also helps reduce problems because they can quickly spot a patient who may be getting agitated, the article said.
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