Nationally:
- One in five Americans report at least one ED visit last year
- 130 million and counting yearly ED visits and the vast majority of visits were for serious medical symptoms
- Four in five people who contacted a primary care physician or other medical provider before seeking emergency care were told to bypass their doctor’s office and go directly to the emergency room.
- From 2001-2008, ED visits rose at twice the rate of population growth. Over the same time period, many EDs closed due to lack of funding, and nearly 200,000 inpatient hospital beds disappeared. These issues have led to tremendous overcrowding and boarding in emergency departments across the country.
- The highest usages were among children ages 6 and younger and adults ages 75 and older.
Locally:
- A grant from national ACEP has helped our state chapter to develop informational pamphlets for the public and our patient community. These will be available throughout the state, and will discuss the role of the emergency department and the issues that most affect us, and the communities we serve.
- Leaders from Delaware ACEP frequently write letters, call, or meet with state representatives to advocate for our patients and emergency care in our state. Support from the public would go far in advocating for our initiatives. If you would like to get involved in helping to improve emergency care in Delaware, please call our office at 302-733-1919.
Rand Report
A recent Rand Report examining the role of emergency medicine has revealed the national cost of emergency medicine comprises 2-4 percent of all health care dollars spent. With that small percentage, emergency departments provide one-third of all unscheduled outpatient care, and determine 50 percent of all hospital admissions. Emergency department visits are rising annually, at twice the rate of population growth. Four in five people who contacted a primary care physician or other medical provider before seeking emergency care were told to bypass their doctor’s office and go directly to the emergency room.
Most outpatient providers, both specialists and primary care physicians, increasingly rely on emergency departments to perform complex diagnostic workups and handle overflow, after-hours and weekend demand for care. Emergency departments are the only part of the health care system that are always open, all day, all night, all year, said ACEP President Dr. Andrew Sama.