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The Massachusetts Hospitals are shifting around their process, all because of one woman. Have you ever heard of Laura Levis? That’s okay. Not a lot of people have. But her story might sound familiar. The woman in question had some trouble trying to find the entrance to the emergency room. And who doesn’t? Hospitals are so confusing. When I had my clavicle fractured, I couldn’t even direct the Uber driver to my own hospital’s entrance. The reason why Laura was going to the hospital was because she had been suffering from an asthma attack. But the sad truth of Laura’s story is that she died on the outskirts of the emergency room of Somerville’s very own lackluster medical facility., as a result of failing to find the very inaccessible entrance. And this happened back in 2016! So to think that the effects of that particular instance has affected the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in a way that still haunts medical facilities to this day is haunting.

So what are Massachusetts Hospitals doing about it?

A new law was passed, called “Laura’s Law.” The law, named in honor of that poor woman, demands for regulations that include specific signage that would usher would-be and returning patients alike in the right direction. For the worst thing to happen to anybody is to feel helpless. Luckily, the proper indications will allow those unlucky few to find the emergency departments with more ease than would be usually expected. It also insists that hospitals in Mass. do right by training the staff under those precarious scenarios. Also, what’s helpful is how video and audio intercoms alike are installed to create a direct helpline between live operators and misguided patients before anything more drastic happens.

The new package of rules is actually a landmark for the medical industry, given that it’s said to be the first kind of “emergency room direction requirements” law that has been instilled anywhere in the United States.

And this very well could be for the best for everyone. It’ll show the lesser Massachusetts Hospitals an opportunity to rise to the occasion. Meanwhile, it may suggest to high and mighty Massachusetts Hospitals that they should lower their smug smolders and remember that healthcare shouldn’t be elitist.

It’s actually very important to have signs that say “EMERGENCY” near doors.

And if that isn’t already part of some hospitals’ core features? Then that’s very disappointing and very irresponsible.

Laura’s Law, being passed in 2021 challenged the Department of Public Health to make up brand-new regulations in order to best meet the demands that could’ve very easily saved her life as well as countless others’ that we likely haven’t heard of yet. The list of rules have been continuously been added on an ongoing basis.

In the interim, it’s looking like it won’t be until the first of January in 2024 that Massachusetts Hospitals will have left to regulate themselves from being essential disregarding murder traps. Hopefully, the cities they are located in will have the dough to move around in order to install the proper indication that the Emergency rooms aren’t all too difficult to find.