CDC: ER visits at an all-time high
Emergency departments (ED) are dealing with unprecedented demand. New statistics released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that U.S. EDs saw more than 136 million patient visits in 2011, the highest number recorded to that point. At the same time, the number of patients arriving at EDs with nonurgent medical conditions has dropped, with 96% triaged as needing medical treatment within two hours.
According to a release from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), ED visits are projected to be around 140 million now. The CDC figures pre-date the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but there is already evidence that emergency visits are increasing; nearly 50% of emergency physicians polled by ACEP in April reported a rise in ED visits since January 1, when expanded ACA coverage took effect.