{
  "id": 1725858,
  "title": "ER doctor says 10 doctors a shift still cannot keep up with patient numbers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/er-doctor-says-10-doctors-a-shift-still-cannot-keep-up-with-patient",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-18T13:49:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Thaiger",
    "slug": "the-thaiger",
    "url": "https://thethaiger.com/news/national/thai-er-doctor-patient-overload-staffing-post"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "An emergency room physician in Thailand has expressed concern that even with more than ten doctors on duty during the morning shift, the department is still unable to manage the overwhelming influx of patients. The physician posted a Facebook update depicting the daily roster, which includes eight on the afternoon shift and four at night. The photographs accompanying the post show patients waiting in line, some of which have spilled out into the hallway outside the department. The post notes that staff members have been working heavy rosters, with the afternoon team not getting a meal until after 11 pm, and the overnight team only experiencing a decrease in patient numbers around 4 am. Referrals from other parts of the country further complicate the situation, along with a high volume of cases involving substances like methamphetamine, cannabis, and kratom, as well as a significant number of psychiatric patients each day. The physician also highlights that accident cases contribute to the hospital's already challenging workload. The post ends with a question to colleagues in other hospitals, asking whether they are experiencing the same surge in patient numbers. The doctor also seeks information on how departments operating with only one or two doctors at a time manage to handle their patient loads. The post has garnered support from fellow hospital staff, who encouraged the physician to remember to eat and take care of themselves. The controversy has unfolded amid ongoing discussions about waiting times at state hospitals in Thailand. In August, staff at a Khon Kaen hospital were involved in a case where a patient's complaint was mocked online. The nurse involved later apologized for her actions, following the patient's subsequent death. However, neither the doctor nor the hospital has been identified in the Facebook post, and the name on the screen shot has been blurred.",
  "summary": "A doctor working in a Thai hospital emergency room says the department has been overwhelmed for the past two to three months. Even with more than 10 doctors rostered on the morning shift, the team cannot examine patients fast enough. The doctor set out the daily staffing in a Facebook post, alongside photographs of patients … The story ER doctor says 10 doctors a shift still cannot keep up with…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}