AMIDST ATLANTA'S CHAOTIC ER

The ER at Grady Memorial Hospital roars with a relentless stream of victims. The air is thick with the reek of antiseptic and the cacophony of staff rushing around, their expressions a mix of anxiety. A man with a laceration whimpers softly as a technician sets up his treatment. A frail senior coughs weakly while awaiting her turn at a station.