A Cry for Help - 05/13/2016
Malingering presents an ethical dilemma for emergency physicians. A busy emergency department (ED) late at night is not pleasant. Thus, most malingerers go to the ED as a last resort. They must really be struggling if seeking shelter in the hospital or using an ambulance as a taxi are the only recourses. It's difficult to feel compassion because malingerers may delay care of other patients who genuinely need it, and hospitals, government programs, and taxpayers incur unnecessary costs.