Staff Shortages, RSV Surge Lead to Long Wait Times at Hospitals

As hospitals see a surge of RSV patients, doctors in Massachusetts say wait times in emergency departments are nearing historic highs.

Dr. Paul Biddinger, the chief preparedness and continuity officer at Mass General Brigham, warns that the staffing shortage in the health care industry is only making the situation worse.

"There were recent reports from the Massachusetts Hospital Association of wait times up to eight hours in some emergency departments," he said.

Janet Cook experienced the crisis first-hand. The 69-year-old from Norfolk said she recently had to wait eight hours in a hallway at Massachusetts General Hospital. She said she was slumped over in a wheelchair and violently ill.

"It was the worst I'd ever seen," she said. "Everyone just kept saying, 'We're so sorry. We don't have the staff.'"

Cook waited it out, but she said she was concerned about the number of patients who left without being seen.

"We have a registered nurse vacancy in Massachusetts of about 22%," said Lisa O'Connor of FTI Consulting.

O'Connor has over 30 years of experience in the health care industry. She says the pandemic only led to more burnout among medical staff. The Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association estimates 19,000 positions are unfilled.

"The vacancy rate isn't just at hospitals," she said. "It also exists at physician offices and urgent cares where you can go for less acute care."

Knowing wait times in emergency departments are long, Juran Lewis thought she would have better luck at an urgent care center in Brookline Friday. It was so busy, staff would not even let her in the waiting room.

"They wouldn't even let me take a seat," Lewis said. "They were at capacity and said, 'Our providers aren't taking anyone else.'"

Workers gave her a list of other facilities to call, but she said most of them were also full.