Without much needed quality improvements in emergency departments, the introduction of more than 30 million uninsured into the healthcare system in 2014 could have grave effects. The system is already incapable of providing timely care to those it serves, adding more people will require new and innovative ways of triaging and treating patients. Ideally solutions would be developed prior to the influx of newly insured people but all too often our systems are reactive, especially within the non-profit sector where funding is tighter. When we examine the for-profit sector of healthcare, the picture becomes much clearer as to what is needed to help to solve the crisis of “waiting to death.” Emergency rooms that don’t already resemble that of Paddy Chayevsky's The Hospital, are well on their way as capabilities to provide care are no competition for the number of patients coming in the door. The emergence of for-profit cancer centers, urgent care facilities and later hours at PCP offices are all indicators of the areas deemed inadequate by consumers. People in medical crisis or those who simply do not want to be a part of the waiting masses in the emergency room are leaning toward other options in order to avoid the chaos and potentially life threatening waits. The shifts that are occurring however are outside of the major health care organizations; there has been no dramatic transformation that helps to improve the efficiency of care provided in emergency rooms. I can’t help but wonder what will occur when the uninsured are covered and add pressure to the system. The knowledge that the system is already broken and will likely take on many new patients should be enough to prompt better practices and more of a focus on emergency room care. 24-hour primary and urgent care centers within the hospital as a means of triaging patients without emergent needs would be one way to lighten the load in the emergency room; however this would have a massive price tag attached. Transforming the way people access care by educating the newly insured and emergency room regulars about the best ways to access care could also work to improve the efficiency of care provided in the ER. Many of the uninsured and ER regulars have never been educated on how to best utilize the health care system and although this may seem obvious to most, those who don’t know will never know unless education is emphasized. Dr. Maa pointed out several options for improving the current emergency system – including a “No Vacancy” sign and the requirement for hospitals to let patients know before they come to the hospital that they are going to wait. There are many strategies that could be implemented to remove some of the pressure being felt by ER patients and providers all those that are implemented must take into account the changes that will be occurring as the newly insured enter the system.
Without much needed quality improvements in emergency departments, the introduction of more than 30 million uninsured into the healthcare system in 2014 could have grave effects. The system is already incapable of providing timely care to those it serves, adding more people will require new and innovative ways of triaging and treating patients.
ReplyDeleteIdeally solutions would be developed prior to the influx of newly insured people but all too often our systems are reactive, especially within the non-profit sector where funding is tighter. When we examine the for-profit sector of healthcare, the picture becomes much clearer as to what is needed to help to solve the crisis of “waiting to death.” Emergency rooms that don’t already resemble that of Paddy Chayevsky's The Hospital, are well on their way as capabilities to provide care are no competition for the number of patients coming in the door.
The emergence of for-profit cancer centers, urgent care facilities and later hours at PCP offices are all indicators of the areas deemed inadequate by consumers. People in medical crisis or those who simply do not want to be a part of the waiting masses in the emergency room are leaning toward other options in order to avoid the chaos and potentially life threatening waits. The shifts that are occurring however are outside of the major health care organizations; there has been no dramatic transformation that helps to improve the efficiency of care provided in emergency rooms.
I can’t help but wonder what will occur when the uninsured are covered and add pressure to the system. The knowledge that the system is already broken and will likely take on many new patients should be enough to prompt better practices and more of a focus on emergency room care. 24-hour primary and urgent care centers within the hospital as a means of triaging patients without emergent needs would be one way to lighten the load in the emergency room; however this would have a massive price tag attached.
Transforming the way people access care by educating the newly insured and emergency room regulars about the best ways to access care could also work to improve the efficiency of care provided in the ER. Many of the uninsured and ER regulars have never been educated on how to best utilize the health care system and although this may seem obvious to most, those who don’t know will never know unless education is emphasized.
Dr. Maa pointed out several options for improving the current emergency system – including a “No Vacancy” sign and the requirement for hospitals to let patients know before they come to the hospital that they are going to wait. There are many strategies that could be implemented to remove some of the pressure being felt by ER patients and providers all those that are implemented must take into account the changes that will be occurring as the newly insured enter the system.