To the editor:
According to the MDHHS CON Annual Survey, psychiatric emergencies are the second most common reason people present to Acute Care Hospitals across the state (cardiac emergencies are at the top of the list). Our local Munson ER is reflective of this reality; in each of the last seven years people sought emergency services primarily because of their hearts and heads. This is reductionist, of course; our bodies are complex and connected systems. The fact remains, however, that 14% of patient visits were our friends, neighbors, coworkers, and family members who required medical care to stay safe. Some of these folks transitioned home, with varying degrees of support. Others were admitted or transferred to another facility (we only have half of the adult inpatient beds we need in the area and no youth beds). Letters to the editor are brief and I’ve already simplified too much. I could complain (and I do) about the lack of quality, local, and affordable options and advocate for conditions known to be preventive and protective. But for right now, I want to invite others to sit in this information with me. Mental health and psychiatric concerns aren’t uncommon; our resources and compassion are more rare.
Allison Zimpfer Maple City
