Anyone who has ever wound up in the emergency room of an urban hospital will surely recognize the human drama on display in Peter Nicks' award-winning documentary. The setting is Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA, a public institution overloaded with admissions, most of whom have no health insurance. The stunningly overcrowded waiting area requires more than a little patience—adults and children in various degrees of discomfort muster as much stoicism as possible during the extraordinarily lengthy period they must endure before they can see a physician. The ebb and flow of emergency trauma cases inevitably delays the processing of patients, and the relatively small medical staff is constantly overwhelmed by the number of people seeking help—including many who cannot speak English. While Nicks carefully avoids making obvious sociopolitical statements, the quiet complaints of individuals about inadequate medical care and the rising expenses of procedures and medications provide ample evidence that the system is in drastic need of overhaul (needless to say, this hospital visit will sicken viewers upset over the state of American healthcare). Featuring both the full-length documentary (which was shortlisted for the Oscar for Best Documentary) and an abridged 62-minute version, DVD extras include seven brief case studies from a patient-based “storytelling project” coordinated during the film's production. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
The Waiting Room
(2012) 82 min. DVD: $295. Moving Images (dist. by Bullfrog Films). PPR. SDH captioned. ISBN: 1-93777-249-7. Volume 28, Issue 5
The Waiting Room
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