Maryland hospitals are open 24/7/365 and care for every person who enters their doors, regardless of ability to pay. For some time now, hospitals in Maryland have been overburdened. Limited by physical space and staffing, they are regularly at or over capacity.
-in-emergency-departments-each-year-(2).png?sfvrsn=1411a507_0 "Hospital care for about 1.15 million patients (about the population of Montana) in emergency departments each year (2)")
Hospital throughput can be affected by various factors, including patient volume, acuity of cases, and seasonal fluctuations. Hospital caregivers constantly work to balance the influx of patients, prioritizing those with life-threatening conditions while attending to less urgent cases as quickly as possible. Triage nurses rapidly assess patients to identify the severity of their condition and prioritize care accordingly.