We Only Make the Right Call 50% of the Time

We've all heard that hospital emergency departments are over-used and not appropriately used.  Dr. Jane Brody of the New York Times shared some surprising facts:

• About half of emergency department visits are avoidable.  These folks may need medical attention but half the visits aren't medical emergencies.

• Access to primary care is a problem for those seeking medical treatment “after hours.”  One study showed that a quarter of primary care practices didn't have weekday hours after 5 p.m.; over half didn't have weekend hours; and about a quarter couldn't see patients for an urgent problem.

• The increases in use of emergency departments for non-emergency issues isn't caused by poor people without insurance or a personal doctor. It’s due to insured middle-class patients and those with doctors who couldn't reach their doctor for care.

She offers sound advice for those of us with a chronic medical problem such as diabetes or a heart condition.  Talk to your doctor to make sure you have a care plan that minimizes the chances of developing an emergency medical situation.  And ask your doctor what you should do when you have a medical issue that needs attention outside office hours.  Since half the time these situations aren't emergencies it’s important to know how to reach your doctor.  This will result in better care for you and avoid the high expense of the emergency department when it’s not the right call.  Visit www.YourHealthMatters.org to search and compare primary care practices in Greater Cincinnati by the office hours that they provide.

To read what else Dr. Brody has to say about avoiding emergency rooms:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/15/avoiding-emergency-rooms/?_r=0