Physicians Report Increase in Emergency Department Visits
Emergency physicians have noticed an increase in the volume of emergency department patients since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act on Jan. 1, 2014, according to a survey of American College of Emergency Physicians members. The poll, which sought to understand changes in ED patient volume and care since the requirement to have health insurance took effect, showed that 47 percent of emergency physicians saw a slight increase in the number of patients in the ED, while 28 percent saw a significant increase.
The poll also showed that 70 percent of physicians felt their ED is not adequately prepared for potentially substantial increases in volume.