Health officials, psychiatrists and emergency room doctors agree that a frenetic emergency room is the wrong environment for a psychiatric patient in crisis. But it's also the most common point of entry for patients seeking admission to a psychiatric facility. It's a huge challenge for the state's medical system—and one that health care providers now are teaming up to address. A small but growing number of hospitals in Maryland have joined together to track and share information about the availability of psychiatric beds at participating institutions. The online registry is aimed at speeding patients out of overcrowded emergency rooms and into facilities where they can get the help they need.
