80 people went to Dallas emergency rooms 5,139 times in a year — usually because they were lonely | wfaa.com

80 people went to Dallas emergency rooms 5,139 times in a year — usually because they were lonely | wfaa.com
"Parkland Hospital officials say the cost of taking care of repeat ER patients is “absolutely passed on to you.”

DALLAS — Michael Johnson is 57. 

He’s from Dallas. 

He’s diabetic. 

He has a job in fast food. 

He rents a home. 

He gets by.

Until recently, no one ever explained to him how hospitals, doctors and emergency rooms work. 

“My momma always told me when something’s wrong with you, go see the doctor,” Johnson said. 

The only way he knew to see a doctor was go to the emergency room at Parkland Hospital, which is why he racked up 31 ER visits in 24 months.

Johnson’s numbers are not at all surprising for administrators at Parkland, which has one of the busiest emergency rooms in the country.

...Parkland’s ER is busy for countless reasons, but chief among them is repeat patients like Johnson. 

He’s considered a high emergency department utilizer because of those repeated visits..."

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