Of the roughly 10% of patients that were boarded in emergency departments, an estimated 30% to 50% were adults 65 and older, KFF Health News reported May 6.
Emergency departments have seen an increase in boarding in recent months; however, exact numbers are not available. In 2021, CMS retired the measure of boarding and new national measures of emergency care capacity have been proposed, but not yet approved.
The latest study on the matter, published in 2019, suggested that older adults account for nearly 20% of emergency visits, but are estimated to make up about 30% to 50% of patients boarded in the emergency department before receiving hospital care.
A 2023 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found the risk of dying in the hospital is higher for older adults who stay in the emergency department overnight and are at greater risk of adverse events.
The high demand for hospital services is fueled by the combination of an aging population and backlogs in discharging patients due to the shrinking availability of home health care and nursing home care.
ED boarding has impacted hospitals across the country.
Portland-based Oregon Health & Science University said it is facing financial issues due to its overcrowded emergency department and having to divert patients seeking specialty care and elective surgeries.
Health officials have also granted Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital permission to add 94 inpatient beds to the hospital to confront capacity issues.