To Go to the Emergency Room—or Not

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While the article did a great job addressing issues and situations related to emergency care - the statement that "more than half of visits to emergency rooms could be handled at an urgent care center" is simply not true - and there is ample literature to prove otherwise. While this is a long-standing untruth, many still make this claim without knowing the bottom line.

Bret Nicks of NC 11:24AM June 27, 2008

As an ER doctor I treat all different kinds of emergency and traumatic conditions. Patients cannot always determine what is or is not appropriate for the ER and I would prefer they came in to see me than decide to stay home or delay getting to an ER by going via the local Urgent Care. Some conditions appear benign but can actually become very bad, very fast. We can often refer patients with less serious conditions to the appropriate follow up care.
Yes, the Emergency Room is for emergencies. But it is often best to let a specially trained Emergency health care professional make that initial assessment - and we are available to do that 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Sara Laskey MD
Member - American College of Emergency Physicians

Sara Laskey of OH 10:52AM June 27, 2008

Your article about use of urgent care centers and the comments of the distinguished Dr Bishop were most appropriate. However your conclusion that over 1/2 of ED visits could be handled at an urgent care center are notably at odds with reality and my 35 years of ED experience. Admissions from emergency departments across the land are up as more and more of our patients have serious illnesses. Admissions from some emergency departments now exceeds 20% of visits and generally over 50% of medicare patients get admitted. I commonly see patients in the ED who started at the urgent care but had illnesses or injuries beyond their capacity. Follow the guidelines that Dr Biship noted and do well. However don't detract from a great article by perpetrating a commonly held myth.

Richard Stennes MD MBA FACEP:ACEP Past Pres of CA 10:47AM June 27, 2008