UNMH should re-evaluate how it processes patients

Editor,

I am a volunteer at the Agora Crisis Center and a psychology major at UNM. Recently, I was requested to assist someone who was threatening suicide. I was able to persuade this person to go to UNM Hospital for an evaluation, after I felt that I had done all I could to help.

We were locked in a building, which felt a bit like jail, and waited four hours to be seen by anyone. We filled out paperwork as soon as we arrived, and the person was called to the back at least four times for numerous things like taking vital signs and signing this or that release. In total, we waited a grueling five hours before a doctor called the person back to be seen.

Once in a room, though, the doctor said he could not help because the person was a resident of Valencia County. He gave two papers with phone numbers for other facilities, which all had one- to two-week waiting periods for help. Then he said, "You have a doctor right in front of you. Do you have any questions?"

First of all, how can he sleep at night knowing he is sending a suicidal person out the door without any help at all? Secondly, couldn't the hospital have told us within the first 10 minutes that residency affected whether or not one could be helped?

I finally called the UNM psychology clinic, and people there kindly heard our call for help and agreed to see the person immediately. I thank them for helping us, but as a person going into the psychology field, I will find it hard to recommend anyone go to UNMH for mental health problems.

Maybe UNMH should re-evaluate how it processes its patients. They may be in breach of ethical standards by allowing people who are very serious about hurting themselves to leave without the slightest bit of care.

Andrea Watts

UNM student