Report examines pressures on emergency rooms

A report released earlier this week by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) examines trends in hospital emergency departments. Emergency department visits are up 26 percent over the last year. Researchers believe a major factor in the increase is the trend among patients to rely on emergency departments for primary care, even though the venue is an inefficient and expensive way of providing primary care. The group also notes the increasing role EDs are playing in attracting insured patients, and the fact that many hospitals are upgrading and expanding their emergency departments in response. The report also concludes EDs are under pressure because specialists are increasingly resistant to the idea of working long on-call hours.

- see this report from HSC

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