Comment: Make hospital waiting rooms a better space |
A commentary by a Victoria resident.
Amidst all the talk of horrendous wait times in hospital emergency rooms, one aspect never seems to get mentioned: The waiting rooms themselves.
They are dreadful, grim, soulless spaces — exactly the opposite of what is needed.
Yet this is where we expect sick or injured people and their family members, including children, to spend hours and hours waiting for help. It’s degrading, humiliating and disrespectful.
These concerns have nothing to do with the medical need to triage cases. That’s understandable. Nor are they a comment on the excellent care received once you get past the waiting........