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CMW news: Sicker patients seeking emergency care in California

Case Management Weekly, August 5, 2009

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A July report from the California HealthCare Foundation finds that “California’s EDs are facing a changing patient mix that may be putting more pressure on their resources.”

More patients who sought medical care at a declining number of California EDs are much sicker, according to the report. Also, slightly more required admission in 2007 than they did five years earlier, according to an analysis of facility discharge data from the state’s 10 largest counties.

Specific findings include:

• Patients classified in the two most serious illness categories rose from 25% to 34%
• Patients are requiring more ED evaluation and services, and more of them require admission
• Contrary to the common belief that the majority of ED patients are uninsured, private-pay patients with insurance used the ED most frequently

The study found that privately insured patients accounted for 34% of all ED visits, Medicaid (Medi-Cal) patients for 24%, and Medicare for 19%. Self-pay patients accounted for the smallest percentage of ED visits, 16%.

Source: HealthLeaders Media

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