This is what the best sci fi is. Using context shift and a drizzle of “what if”, provide enough distance from a problem to help readers think about it anew.
I was going to post something along these lines, but from the perspective of sci-fi in-general being palette-swapped commentary on contemporary or historical themes, unless you're reading something by Greg Egan or Vernor Vinge.
Somehow this managed to bring to my mind the venerable adventure game Gateway from 1992, taking place in Frederick Pohl’s Heechee universe. It’s probably been closer to 30 years since I’ve played it.
The ongoing efforts at digitising medical records and care have made waiting times and outcomes much worse.
But it is cheaper and and easier sell to the gullible public than providing more funding and facilities.
"Woman found under coat in Nottingham A&E died days later
An investigation has been launched after a woman died days after being found unconscious underneath her coat while waiting in A&E for seven hours.
The 39-year-old woman is understood to have first attended A&E at Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham on the evening of 19 January complaining of a severe headache. She was triaged and then observed by nurses three times. Her case was escalated but she was not seen by a doctor before being discovered.
When the woman was called to see a doctor, she did not respond. It was assumed that she had left A&E because she had waited so long. She was discovered and transferred to intensive care but died three days later on 22 January.
A source familiar with the hospital told LBC, which first reported the incident, that the A&E department could have up to 80 patients waiting at a single time and that wait times could be as long as 14 hours"
The Sydney hospital where one in 10 patients waits more than 43 hours
One in 10 Blacktown emergency patients waited more than 43 hours to be admitted or transferred.
...while almost 9 per cent give up and leave without completing treatment.
NSW has not met any of its access targets for emergency wait times, which stipulate that at least 80 per cent of patients should be admitted or transferred to another hospital within six hours, according to Bureau of Health Information data published on Wednesday.
This isn't really sci-fi.
This is a normal trip to the emergency room with search and replace for sci-fi terms.
Often that's exactly what scifi is: using futuristic situations to talk about present-day problems.
This is what the best sci fi is. Using context shift and a drizzle of “what if”, provide enough distance from a problem to help readers think about it anew.
Space opera too.
I seriously can't wait until my wife wants to watch something and I can just put it in sci-fi mode
I was going to post something along these lines, but from the perspective of sci-fi in-general being palette-swapped commentary on contemporary or historical themes, unless you're reading something by Greg Egan or Vernor Vinge.
I'm not quite sure what I just read, but it was entertaining! Is there no other context for this story?
Looks like commentary on the US healthcare system.
As far as I can tell, it's just a neat Sci-Fi short story from 2016.
Somehow this managed to bring to my mind the venerable adventure game Gateway from 1992, taking place in Frederick Pohl’s Heechee universe. It’s probably been closer to 30 years since I’ve played it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_(video_game)
The ongoing efforts at digitising medical records and care have made waiting times and outcomes much worse.
But it is cheaper and and easier sell to the gullible public than providing more funding and facilities.
"Woman found under coat in Nottingham A&E died days later
An investigation has been launched after a woman died days after being found unconscious underneath her coat while waiting in A&E for seven hours.
The 39-year-old woman is understood to have first attended A&E at Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham on the evening of 19 January complaining of a severe headache. She was triaged and then observed by nurses three times. Her case was escalated but she was not seen by a doctor before being discovered.
When the woman was called to see a doctor, she did not respond. It was assumed that she had left A&E because she had waited so long. She was discovered and transferred to intensive care but died three days later on 22 January.
A source familiar with the hospital told LBC, which first reported the incident, that the A&E department could have up to 80 patients waiting at a single time and that wait times could be as long as 14 hours"
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/10/nottingham-i...
The Sydney hospital where one in 10 patients waits more than 43 hours
One in 10 Blacktown emergency patients waited more than 43 hours to be admitted or transferred.
...while almost 9 per cent give up and leave without completing treatment.
NSW has not met any of its access targets for emergency wait times, which stipulate that at least 80 per cent of patients should be admitted or transferred to another hospital within six hours, according to Bureau of Health Information data published on Wednesday.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/nsw/revealed-the-sydney-h...
43 hours is a long time. Do they provide food for those waiting?
Bet their EMR system is still some COBOL monstrosity. Good luck getting your flu shot info.
In healthcare legacy stuff runs on MUMPS which is equally old and arguably even worse
[flagged]