So much of what emergency departments do is really psychosocial . Anxiety , depression , suicidality , substance abuse . The number of these people seems to be growing , and they can seldom afford primary care , much less mental healthcare . Sifting through very cumbersome and inefficient computer documentation systems designed for billing, not for flow. The all - volunteer ED is the place they go .
So much of what emergency departments do is really psychosocial . Anxiety , depression , suicidality , substance abuse . The number of these people seems to be growing , and they can seldom afford primary care , much less mental healthcare . The all - volunteer ED is the place they go .