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Health & Fitness

Movie Review - The Waiting Room

Movie Review - The Waiting Room

The Waiting Room *** (NR) Anyone who claims the United States’ healthcare system is OK probably has employer-paid insurance, and a primary-care doc on speed dial. Unfortunately, millions have less-to-no coverage and, therefore, little access to needed services. For an appalling number of our compatriots, emergency rooms are their only recourse, leading to huge crowds and long waits in those facilities. This matter-of-fact documentary chronicles one long shift in an Oakland, CA, ER, showing what it’s like to cope with the demand for both patients and staff.

This is one to watch for enlightenment, not entertainment. Though it runs only 81 minutes, viewers will feel as if they’d sat for hours along with the patients on the hard plastic chairs, waiting for their numbers to be called - like at a deli or bakery counter. Most don’t have critical injuries or true emergencies. Even worse, we learn that some of the featured patients have developed serious situations that could have been avoided or minimized had they been able to get diagnosed and treated earlier in the course of their conditions.

The film honors the doctors and nurses who do their best to give prompt, yet sufficiently thorough, attention to all comers. Those awaiting their turns are surprisingly calm. One would hope that exemplifies positive character traits of patience and understanding. But it more likely, and more depressingly, shows the conditioning of the system’s chronic failure to provide enough avenues for everyone to have their basic medical needs met, with anything resembling what’s available to the fully insured. (3/22/13)  

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