Visits to hospital emergency departments rose by almost 10 percent between 2008 and 2009, which are the most recent figures available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a San Francisco Chronicle report.
Physicians within the American College of Emergency Physicians in San Francisco believe the increased ED visits could be related to the tough economy. "With the economy, people have lost their coverage, and given the fact the emergency department is the safety net, they come to us," said Jay Kaplan, MD, an emergency physician at Marin General Hospital in Greenbrae, Calif., in the report.
Additionally, some emergency physicians think the fear of malpractice litigation is a cause behind the increasing costs of emergency care, according to the report.
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Physicians within the American College of Emergency Physicians in San Francisco believe the increased ED visits could be related to the tough economy. "With the economy, people have lost their coverage, and given the fact the emergency department is the safety net, they come to us," said Jay Kaplan, MD, an emergency physician at Marin General Hospital in Greenbrae, Calif., in the report.
Additionally, some emergency physicians think the fear of malpractice litigation is a cause behind the increasing costs of emergency care, according to the report.
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80% of ED Physicians Report Increase in Patient Visits