The Emergency Room at Massachusetts General Hospital, like so many hospitals throughout the country, is at 100% capacity 100% of the time. The ER logs an average of 255 beds a day, patients often overflow into beds in the hallway, and at times ambulances must be turned away. Approximately 114 million patients who seek treatment in ERs each year, many of whom lack health insurance and thus cannot seek other forms of healthcare. This story chronicles one 12 hour period, from 6 pm to 6 am, throughout the ER.



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