http://www.wbez.org/tags/emergency-room Latest from WBEZ Chicago Public Radio en http://www.wbez.org/story/alcohol/chicago-hospitals-brace-alcohol-related-problems-new-years-eve <p><p>Emergency rooms around Chicago are bracing for an influx of patients seeking help for drinking too much Friday.</p><p>The head of the emergency room at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago's western suburbs says he sees more teenagers on New Year's for alcohol-related problems than any other day of the year.</p><p>It's an old routine for hospitals by now. Emergency room doctors prepare for patients who celebrate New Year's Eve a bit too much. Dr. Rahul Khare works at the ER at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.</p><p>&quot;It's actually pretty quiet a couple hours before new year's, but then about 15 minutes after new year's hits, we do see a surge of ambulances,&quot;&nbsp;Khare said.</p><p>Khare said doctors mostly try to re-hydrate patients. He said pumping stomachs is invasive and doctors don't do it much any more.<br /><br />&nbsp;</p></p> Fri, 31 Dec 2010 11:00:00 -0600 http://www.wbez.org/story/alcohol/chicago-hospitals-brace-alcohol-related-problems-new-years-eve