The number of patient emergency department (ED) visits increased 60% faster than population growth between 2001 and 2008, and advanced imaging was a contributing factor, according to research published online in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.
From an analysis of ED visits, a research team led by Dr. Stephen Pitts of Emory University School of Medicine determined that the use of advanced imaging studies increased 140% over the eight-year period. Nonetheless, the group found that the net impact of advanced imaging on crowding was smaller than that of several other throughput factors, including the use of intravenous fluids and blood tests, the performance of any clinical procedure, and the mention of two or more medications.
The researchers found that ER visits increased by 1.9% per year during the study period, with mean occupancy climbing by 3.1% per year or 27% over the study period. In other findings, visits during traditional office hours increased significantly more than visits after hours (Ann Emerg Med, June 20, 2012).
They also noted that visits for Medicare patients and adults ages 45 to 64 grew faster than for any other group. Nonurgent use of the ED exerted little or no impact on crowding, the authors found.
The researchers evaluated data from the National Center for Health Statistics' National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey ED subfile (NHAMCS-ED) for their study.
