Emergency Rooms Endangered

A CLOSE CALL: Nodrigo Plata, 6, leans against his mother, Naty Mercado, in the emergency room of Downey Regional Medical Center. The hospital had considered closing the ER a year ago, but a new Medi-Cal reimbursement contract kept it open.

A CLOSE CALL: Nodrigo Plata, 6, leans against his mother, Naty Mercado, in the emergency room of Downey Regional Medical Center. The hospital had considered closing the ER a year ago, but a new Medi-Cal reimbursement contract kept it open. (Gary Friedman / LAT)

Sept. 16, 2014 2:04 AM PT

Patient care

PATIENT CARE: Dr. Richard Guess, center, and Dr. Daniel Kahsai work in the Downey hospitals bustling emergency room. (Gary Friedman / LAT)

Hectic pace

HECTIC PACE: The ER at Downey Regional Medical Center typically is at capacity by noon daily and stays full until midnight. (Gary Friedman / LAT)

In a rush

IN A RUSH: A patient arrives in Downeys ER, which sees 4,000 to 4,500 patients a month, more than Memorial or King/Drew. (Gary Friedman / LAT)

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