Commentary
Emergency department visits are on the rise, based on an American College of Emergency Physicians’ survey.
According to the results of ACEP’s March 2015 poll of 2.099 emergency physicians, 75% have noted an increase in the volume of ED visits since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in 2014; 47% have noticed a slight increase, and 28% said that volumes have greatly increased.
Dr. Ryan A. Stanton
Additionally, 70% of respondents said their emergency departments are not adequately prepared for potentially significant increases in patient volume.
Dr. Ryan A. Stanton, an emergency physician with MESA Medical Group in Lexington, Ky., said in an interview that respondents likely have data to back up their opinions. Data from his hospital shows ED volume increases of 20% in 2014.
The poll results were “not surprising at all,” he said, and reflect a need “to bolster up the health care system that is going to support” the increased patient volume that comes with greater coverage due to the ACA.