10-19-2010, 02:03 PM
Dakota-
You need to look beyond the broad statistics.
I would expect that a lot of the "ER" overload is caused by:
1- The lack of General Practitioners.
2- a lack of GP's that are willing to accept Medicaire/ Aide patients.
3- A lack of doctors that are available outside of 'normal' business hours.
A new hospital was finished last year in my area. And I've taken my family members to that ER twice now. It' set up as a triaged facility, with the low end being essentially an 'urgent care' center, then a low level ER, then a low level trauma center. (there's only one Level I trauma center in the area. I know. I got helicoptered in there. Of course I was in a coma at the time.)
Clever facility design can be used to resolve this 'misuse' of ER resources.
You need to look beyond the broad statistics.
I would expect that a lot of the "ER" overload is caused by:
1- The lack of General Practitioners.
2- a lack of GP's that are willing to accept Medicaire/ Aide patients.
3- A lack of doctors that are available outside of 'normal' business hours.
A new hospital was finished last year in my area. And I've taken my family members to that ER twice now. It' set up as a triaged facility, with the low end being essentially an 'urgent care' center, then a low level ER, then a low level trauma center. (there's only one Level I trauma center in the area. I know. I got helicoptered in there. Of course I was in a coma at the time.)
Clever facility design can be used to resolve this 'misuse' of ER resources.