Desert Regional emergency room construction sparks overcrowding, privacy concerns

Renovations to the emergency department at Desert Regional Medical Center have some visitors and patients concerned about overcrowding and patient privacy.

The emergency room has been under construction in its current phase since May, using a temporary lobby area.

“There’s stretchers and wheelchairs. It’s crowded.” said Tina Diamond, an emergency room visitor. “I would be concerned that’s there’s too many people in a hall, that they wouldn’t get enough attention to get up to get procedures done that they need.”

Diamond said some patients were receiving care in the waiting area.

“There’s people getting IV’s in and out while you’re standing there, which is kind of unnerving…it was unnerving to me,” she said.

Alicia Miller, another emergency room visitor, complained of patient privacy concerns.

“You can hear what’s happening, having a seizure, what kind of medication they’re gonna be on, all that,” Miller said.

Diamond said some patient’s medical information was being shared openly in front of strangers. “Everything’s read out loud because there’s no other place to do it. They’re in hallways. There’s literally hallways. There’s no rooms. There’s no separation.”

And another concern – visitors being separated from the patients they came with and asked to wait in a modular unit in the parking lot.

“It’s completely wrong. I shouldn’t have to be separated from her at all,” Miller said. “What if she passes out what if something happens to her — she lost a lot of blood. I want to be with her.”

A spokesperson for Desert Regional said the construction is to make patient flow and privacy better than it was before. They are also working to address any issues that have arisen from the construction.

The project is expected to continue through the winter.