Emergency department visits have increased 22 percent over the past decade, according to an American Hospital Association report.
The report, "Prepared to Care: The 24/7 Standby Role of America's Hospitals," gives an overview of hospitals' essential "standby" role, which includes providing 24/7 access to care, serving as a safety net and managing disaster readiness and response. As EDs are a major component of this standby rule, the report looks at hospital EDs' benefits to community and challenges.
Here are 13 statistics on hospital ED supply and demand:
1. ED visits have increased 22 percent over the last 10 years.
2. In 2011, there were more than 129 million ED visits.
3. Each day an average of 355,000 people seek medical care in the hospital ED.
4. Patient visit volume can vary by more than 100 percent hour to hour and day to day.
5. From 2004 to 2009, visits to the ED by Medicaid and uninsured patients grew by 42 percent, while visits overall increased only 23 percent.
6. Forty-five percent of ED patients have Medicaid or are uninsured compared with only 17 percent for physician offices.
7. Since 1991, the number of ED visits grew by 41 million, but there are 647 fewer hospitals with EDs to handle these visits.
8. In 2010, half of urban hospitals reported their EDs were "at" or "over" capacity.
9. In 2010, 45 percent of urban hospitals reported time on ambulance diversion in the past year. The most common reasons were lack of critical care beds and ED overcrowding.
10. Forty-four percent of hospital care begins in the ED.
11. From 1993 to 2007, the percent of inpatient admissions originating from the ED increased from 33 to 44 percent.
12. In 2009, 53.6 percent of ED patients had cases that were urgent (should be seen in 15 to 60 minutes) or emergent (should be seen in less than 15 minutes).
13. More than half of ED care occurs outside of normal business hours.
8 ED Expansions to Meet Growing Patient Volume
Patient Flow Software Helps Hospitals Respond to Emergencies
The report, "Prepared to Care: The 24/7 Standby Role of America's Hospitals," gives an overview of hospitals' essential "standby" role, which includes providing 24/7 access to care, serving as a safety net and managing disaster readiness and response. As EDs are a major component of this standby rule, the report looks at hospital EDs' benefits to community and challenges.
Here are 13 statistics on hospital ED supply and demand:
1. ED visits have increased 22 percent over the last 10 years.
2. In 2011, there were more than 129 million ED visits.
3. Each day an average of 355,000 people seek medical care in the hospital ED.
4. Patient visit volume can vary by more than 100 percent hour to hour and day to day.
5. From 2004 to 2009, visits to the ED by Medicaid and uninsured patients grew by 42 percent, while visits overall increased only 23 percent.
6. Forty-five percent of ED patients have Medicaid or are uninsured compared with only 17 percent for physician offices.
7. Since 1991, the number of ED visits grew by 41 million, but there are 647 fewer hospitals with EDs to handle these visits.
8. In 2010, half of urban hospitals reported their EDs were "at" or "over" capacity.
9. In 2010, 45 percent of urban hospitals reported time on ambulance diversion in the past year. The most common reasons were lack of critical care beds and ED overcrowding.
10. Forty-four percent of hospital care begins in the ED.
11. From 1993 to 2007, the percent of inpatient admissions originating from the ED increased from 33 to 44 percent.
12. In 2009, 53.6 percent of ED patients had cases that were urgent (should be seen in 15 to 60 minutes) or emergent (should be seen in less than 15 minutes).
13. More than half of ED care occurs outside of normal business hours.
More Articles on Capacity Management:
AHA: Policy Changes Needed to Sustain Hospitals' Essential Standby Role8 ED Expansions to Meet Growing Patient Volume
Patient Flow Software Helps Hospitals Respond to Emergencies