Dive Brief:
- The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) has released a new report card grading emergency care in the U.S., and the results aren't good. The ACEP report gives emergency care in the U.S. an overall grade of D+.
- The poor grade came from low scores in several subcategories, including access to emergency care, quality and patient safety, medical liability environment and public health and injury prevention.
- To address these problems, the ACEP made an array of recommendations, including medical liability reform at both the state and federal level, and further localization and coordination of specialized emergency services as a means of addressing hospital crowding.
Dive Insight:
While the ACEP came down hard on several categories of analysis, access to emergency care got the worst grade, a D-. This score, which made up 30% of the total grade, reflected problems with access to treatment, providers and specialists, hospital capacity and financial obstacles. With a "growing aging population and an increasing number of people now insured as a result of the Affordable Care Act," it may be difficult for patients to receive the emergency care they need, ACEP's report suggests. It does appear that the emergency departments are in for a new wave of patients which may stretch them beyond their capacity. This year, with ACA patients coming online, may be a make or break one for emergency departments nationwide.