If you ask anyone who has used the North Shore Medical Center (NSMC) Emergency Department for non life-threatening services, they will attest to the very long waiting times.
This by no means is the fault of the medical staff.
With the closing of the Lynn Union Hospital, local patients most likely go to Salem Hospital.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health recently acknowledged this flu season has been the worst in 10 years. The Flu B strain has returned after being absent since 1993.
I found this out first hand. After spending hours waiting in the ER, I was getting anxious and so were other people. Some were pacing the ER, complaining to the registration staff and security officers. This puts more strain on everyone, unfortunately.
Doctors and nurses must treat the more severely-ill patients who arrive by ambulance or by other means.
It’s apparent the medical staff is overwhelmed and the Salem ER simply cannot handle the flow of patients. Thus the need to promote urgent care facilities.
Urgent Care at the former Union Hospital has one electronic sign on Lynnfield Street. Since there is construction on the site, many people are not aware it’s open, or somewhat confused about where to enter.
During this high flu season, NSMC should have more electronic signage on roads in Lynn and Salem Highland Avenue along with advertising in all local newspapers and social media.
This should help relieve some of the congestion in the ER, and also help the medical staff .
Urgent Care is also less costly with, or without insurance.
L. Robert Nadeau
Lynn
