Drunk birds.

Intoxicated patients are a dime a dozen in the ED.  They can be found slumbering on cots in the hallways, running naked through the resuscitation bays wearing a blanket like a cape, or simply shouting at the top of their lungs at all hours of the day. Many are “frequent flyers;” familiar faces that consume nothing but beer, medical resources and free sandwiches.  These individuals are received with palpable disdain in the ED.  Eye-rolling and off-color comments abound with their arrival. The goal is always to “get them out the door” as soon as possible. Emergency Department attitudes towards individuals with alcohol dependence and abuse verge on the unethical.  Alcoholics are not recognized as suffering from mental illness, but rather are more or less derided for their “choices.” Addiction is never addressed in the ED.   Undoubtedly, to do so would be time consuming,  resource heavy, and in many cases futile.  However, by ignoring the true illness we simply set these inebriated birds loose on rough winds. We throw these frequent flyers to the ominous skies, encouraging them to fly another day.