RAND has published a new report, “Strategies for Sustaining Emergency Care in the United States.”

According to a release, growing complicated patient needs and payment issues are threatening “the viability of hospital-based emergency care in the United States.”

Summary of key report findings:

•          Patients always receive care at emergency departments, even if they can’t pay.
• Emergency care challenges like “increases in demand and insufficient capacity” and “crowding, longer wait times, and violence toward ED staff.”
• Data showed that physician payments are decreasing for emergency visits.

The report also includes recommendations from RAND to improve the highlighted issues.  

Read the release here

Read the report here