A number of hospitals are investing in pediatric emergency rooms that separate children (and parents) from the stress of visiting a regular ER. A recent IOM report warned that most ERs aren't prepared to provide adequate pediatric care. Despite the fact that 26 percent of patients arriving at U.S. emergency rooms are children, only 6 percent of emergency departments were found to have adequate facilities for pediatric cases. Hospitals are improving their pediatric care by providing staff with better training, arming ERs with equipment designed specifically for children, and supplying counselors to comfort children during painful procedures. Not only do pediatric ERs take some of the pressure off of regular ERs, they're also a source of revenue for hospitals since parents often prefer to take their children to an environment where they feel comfortable.
For more on the pediatric ER trend:
- read this article from The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)