September 2017
What Can Be Done About Preventable ED Visits?
Do you know some of the reasons for the rising trend in Emergency Department (ED) visits? In a research study done by Shreya Kangovi, M.D., M.S., and her colleagues, it was found that patients of low-socioeconomic status may believe that the ED is cheaper, more convenient and will give a higher quality of care than primary care physicians (PCP). Kangovi and colleagues conducted extensive interviews with low income, uninsured or Medicaid patients about why the ED was chosen over a PCP. According to this study, patients complained about the following:
- Busy telephone lines or hard-to-follow prompts on recordings
- Difficulty obtaining same-day appointments
- Difficulty arranging transportation for appointment times
- Additional expenses and inconvenience of being referred to specialists (seen as more delays in much needed care)
Patients may view the ED as a “one-stop shop” that is open 24/7 and provides a higher quality of care.1 However, Robin Shannon, R.N., director of performance solutions at T-System Inc. in Dallas, TX, has found that easy access to open communication between established patients and their PCP has resulted in fewer visits to the ED, especially in the category of return visits to the ED.2
Open communication, same-day or next-day visits, the ability to speak with a live person at the PCP office, and recordings that are easy to understand and navigate can lower the number of ED visits, as well as significantly lower health care costs in America. As a PCP, educating your patients that stable, ongoing and preventative care in your office is more effective for their overall good health can significantly drive down health care costs and the overuse of hospital EDs.
1Why Low-income Patients Prefer Hospitals to Primary Care, July 10, 2013
2Strategies for Reducing Emergency Department Overuse, May 19, 2014