Emergency Department Management

Each year approximately 130 million patients visit Emergency Departments across the United States, making the ED the key patient access point for most hospitals[1]. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the ED sees everything from broken bones, to cardiac care, to emergency labor and delivery, to emergency surgeries, and much more. It is the one place in the hospital where all lines of care are treated around the clock, giving the ED potential to be the hospital’s most strategic asset, if managed properly. A few reasons why:

Admissions

ED physicians are one of the major influencers of inpatient admissions with approximately 50 percent or more of hospital admissions coming through the ED[2]. Admitted patients, including those that require surgery, are one of the main factors that help drive a hospital’s bottom line.

Communications

ED staff are in near-constant communication with other hospital departments. Whether a patient needs imaging services or labs, the teams are constantly working together to treat the patient, gather test results and make a decision on whether or not to admit. When patients are not admitted, they often leave with a referral to another physician within the system, which, in return, drives more revenue.

Referring Physicians

When a patient visits an outpatient physician office or urgent care clinic and has more severe symptoms than can be treated in that setting, they are often sent directly to the ED. A hospital that is able to maintain a high-quality, efficient ED ensures a consistent flow of such patients from referring physicians and clinics.

Subsidies

An ED that is staffed and operated efficiently may not actually need a subsidy from the hospital if one is being paid. Hospitals often provide a subsidy simply because they are not aware of their options, or what the group’s finances look like. Knowing exactly what you are paying for will better determine what is actually needed, and can reduce or eliminate the subsidy if the hospital is staffed and operated in an efficient manner.

For more information, speak with an expert to find out how ApolloMD can help turn your ED into your hospital’s most strategic asset.

[1] National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2013 Emergency Department Summary Tables. Tables 1, 4, 14, 24

[2] Emergency departments now account for half of all hospital inpatient admissions | ED Physicians Play A Role

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