Emergency Department & Critical Care Services

Did you know?

• The ED remains a critical access point into the U.S. healthcare system and presents an opportunity to serve.
• Historically, a significant percentage (18 to 20%, source: MedLearn) of all ED visits were seen and admitted to the attached hospital. Medicare beneficiaries are 3.4 times more likely to be admitted.
• ED services provide a unique opportunity for acute care hospitals to distinguish themselves from other providers.

Why should I care?

• Changes in utilization of ED services reflect a significant shift in your delivery of care. To avoid market share erosion, hospitals must adjust to these shifts.
• Recently, the National Institutes of Health estimated that 13-27% of all ED visits could have been treated at a retail clinic or urgent care center. This underscores the growing concern that the majority of patients seen in the ED are actually non-emergent.
• Many of these patients could be served in lower cost settings such as urgent care centers, extended hour and retail clinics, and physician offices.

What should I do?

• Review the most current utilization data by volume and severity of patients treated.
• Promote access to lower cost centers.
• Educate your community about the appropriate use of the ED.