University of Alabama-Birmingham doctor pushes federal bill to tackle ER crisis

Emergency department physicians are reporting that the nation's economic problems are increasing pressure on an already overburdened system of critical medical care, and they're seeking government support. "We are in a crisis," said Janyce M. Sanford, MD, head of emergency medicine at Univerity of Alabama-Birmingham Hospital. "It's gotten worse." Sanford said the economic downturn is forcing more uninsured patients into the emergency medical system, and the doctor is calling for passage of federal legislation to deal with the problem.