Code Black
| Year | 2013 |
| Director(s) | Ryan McGarry |
| Runtime | 82 minutes |
| Producer(s) | Diku Mandavia, Edward Newton, Jan Shoenberger, Linda Goldstein Knowlton, Mark Jonathan Harris, Marti Noxon, Matt Damron, William Mallon |
The U.S. health care crisis is evident in every hospital emergency room. The old LA County Hospital ER was infamous for the seemingly chaotic but effective trauma care delivered in a cramped area called C-Booth. LA had to replace the old hospital, ending its protection from rules governing patient care, paperwork and privacy.
This film follows a group of residents whose training straddles the eras of the two ERs. The new facility and rules hinder their effectiveness as caregivers to an endless stream of patients. Burdened by paperwork and bureaucracy that distances them from patients, they develop successful procedures that put patient care first, but are soon hamstrung by rules and staffing.
The conundrum of modern healthcare, with all of its well-intentioned policies to protect the patient, also worsens in some way the care received, especially in high-volume ERs. Through the idealism of young doctors we see the realities and compromises of patient care in today’s health care environment.