A new study suggests that obesity-generated illnesses--as well as the physical demands placed on equipment by larger bodies--are having an impact on emergency departments. The study, published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, finds that growing levels of obese patients are proving costly to hospitals, which are having to buy specialized equipment such as bariatric ambulances to treat the most obese patients.
What's more, emergency departments are seeing growing numbers of patients with weight-related illnesses such as diabetes, renal failure and hypertension.
To learn more about the study:
- read this Modern Healthcare article
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