OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — A local family is voicing their frustrations with the healthcare system after an elderly family member endured multiple days in a crowded emergency room without adequate care.
Jennifer Wallis, a mother who had to advocate for her 81-year-old mother in the emergency room, describes the ordeal as “the most helpless, horrible feeling I could ever describe.” The situation began Tuesday when Wallis received a call from her mother’s doctor informing her that her mother, who has dementia and chronic kidney disease, was in renal failure and needed to be taken to the emergency room at INTEGRIS Health Baptist Medical Center.
Upon arriving at the hospital, Wallis said her mother was placed on a stretcher and left in a hallway, receiving little attention apart from an IV drip and checks every few hours. Wallis described her mother as being in distress, crying and expressing her desire to go home to see her cat.
After two days of what she felt was neglect, Wallis decided to take matters into her own hands. “They paged the doctor, I asked for the nurse three times, no one ever came, so I found a wheelchair and we left,” Wallis explained.
To her surprise, police showed up at her mother’s home shortly afterward. INTEGRIS had contacted authorities, but when Wallis explained the situation, the police were understanding.
“Even though it might be a bold move, I’m going to fight for my mom and I’m going to fight to get her the care that she deserves,” Wallis said, emphasizing her commitment to ensuring her mother received the care she needed.
Her mother was later transferred to SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital, where she was immediately given a bed.
Despite her frustration with the situation, Wallis expressed gratitude for healthcare workers who are trying their best under difficult circumstances. However, she also emphasized the need for a systemic overhaul of the healthcare system. “Our healthcare system is failing and definitely needs an overhaul,” she said. “We need to put patients first, and that is not what is happening.”
In response to the incident, INTEGRIS Health released a statement explaining the current challenges faced by emergency rooms, particularly in light of an influx of patients due to the flu, COVID-19, and other illnesses. The statement acknowledged that wait times have increased, with patients being triaged and seen in order of severity.
“As a high-acuity hospital, we routinely receive patients who require immediate life-saving care,” the statement read. “On occasion, like other health systems across the metro, we will create temporary hallway rooms to accommodate the high patient load. While we can’t comment on this particular situation due to patient privacy laws, we do work very hard to keep our ER wait times to a minimum.”
This incident sheds light on the growing strain that many hospitals are facing as they struggle to manage high patient volumes. While the hospital’s response provides context, it also raises concerns about whether current healthcare infrastructure can adequately meet the needs of vulnerable patients, particularly the elderly.
The Wallis family’s experience serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges many families are facing in a healthcare system under pressure, and the ongoing need for systemic reform to ensure that patients receive the timely and compassionate care they deserve.
