Sarah Harte: We would do anything to avoid hospital emergency departments. How did we get here?

Logistically, something is very wrong in our healthcare system. It’s not like we don’t spend on health, only Luxembourg and Denmark spend more per person than us on health within the EU, writes Sarah Harte

Megan and Kate Johnston. Tomorrow is the second anniversary of their sister Aoife’s tragic death in UHL's emergency department. Picture: Eamon Ward

The American public’s attitude to the shooting of United Healthcare chief executive Brian Thompson by alleged shooter Luigi Mangione has been polarising. 

Since his arrest, in some quarters Mangione has become a type of folk hero glorified for bringing crippling healthcare costs into the foreground of public debate. Other commentators are horrified, interpreting the lionisation of Mangione as opening the door to terrorism.