This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Cunningham, P. J. Articles by Wilets, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cunningham, P. J. Articles by Wilets, M. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

The Use of Hospital Emergency Departments for Nonurgent Health Problems: A National Perspective

Center for Studying Health System Change

Carolyn M. Clancy

Center for Primary Care Research, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research

Joel W. Cohen

Center for Health Insurance and Expenditures Studies, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research

Melissa Wilets

Center for Health Insurance and Expenditures Studies, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research

The use of the hospital emergency department (ED) for nonurgent health problems has been a subject of considerable controversy, in part because there is no widely accepted definition of "nonurgent." Elimination or substantial reduction in nonurgent ED use is frequently offered as a strategyfor reducing health expenditures. Previous studies, often limited to individual hospitals or communities, have limited generalizability and do not permit examination of multiple factors likely to influence nonurgent ED utilization or examination of ED use for nonurgent problems in the context of overall outpatient utilization. This analysis of the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES) provides a nationally representative examination of nonurgent ED utilization that describes the frequency of ED use for nonurgent problems, characteristics of individuals that are associated with an increased likelihood of nonurgent ED use, the use of other outpatient physician services, and expenditures associated with nonurgent ED visits.

Medical Care Research and Review, Vol. 52, No. 4, 453-474 (1995)
DOI: 10.1177/107755879505200402


CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. F. Newton, C. C. Keirns, R. Cunningham, R. A. Hayward, and R. Stanley Uninsured Adults Presenting to US Emergency Departments: Assumptions vs Data JAMA, October 22, 2008; 300(16): 1914 - 1924. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Rust, J. Ye, P. Baltrus, E. Daniels, B. Adesunloye, and G. E. Fryer Practical Barriers to Timely Primary Care Access: Impact on Adult Use of Emergency Department Services Arch Intern Med, August 11, 2008; 168(15): 1705 - 1710. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Wang, M. E. Villar, D. A. Mulligan, and T. Hansen Cost and Utilization Analysis of a Pediatric Emergency Department Diversion Project Pediatrics, November 1, 2005; 116(5): 1075 - 1079. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. J. Weiner, B. Barnet, T. L. Cheng, and T. P. Daaleman Processes for Effective Communication in Primary Care Ann Intern Med, April 19, 2005; 142(8): 709 - 714. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. D. Mistry, R. G. Hoffmann, J. S. Yauck, and D. C. Brousseau Association Between Parental and Childhood Emergency Department Utilization Pediatrics, February 1, 2005; 115(2): e147 - e151. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Norredam, A. Krasnik, T. M. Sorensen, N. Keiding, J. J. Michaelsen, and A. S. Nielsen Emergency room utilization in Copenhagen: a comparison of immigrant groups and Danish-born residents Scand J Public Health, January 1, 2004; 32(1): 53 - 59. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. J. Dombkowski, R. Stanley, and S. J. Clark Influence of Medicaid Managed Care Enrollment on Emergency Department Utilization by Children Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, January 1, 2004; 158(1): 17 - 21. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Guttman, D. R. Zimmerman, and M. S. Nelson The Many Faces of Access: Reasons for Medically Nonurgent Emergency Department Visits Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, December 1, 2003; 28(6): 1089 - 1120. [Abstract] [PDF]

				L. L. Berry, K. Seiders, and S. S. Wilder Innovations in Access to Care: A Patient-Centered Approach Ann Intern Med, October 7, 2003; 139(7): 568 - 574. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				X. Luo, G. Liu, K. Frush, and L. A. Hey Children's Health Insurance Status and Emergency Department Utilization in the United States Pediatrics, August 1, 2003; 112(2): 314 - 319. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Murray and D. M. Berwick Advanced Access: Reducing Waiting and Delays in Primary Care JAMA, February 26, 2003; 289(8): 1035 - 1040. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Grumbach and T. Bodenheimer A Primary Care Home for Americans: Putting the House in Order JAMA, August 21, 2002; 288(7): 889 - 893. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. A. Alessandrini, K. N. Shaw, W. B. Bilker, K. A. Perry, M. D. Baker, and D. F. Schwarz Effects of Medicaid Managed Care on Health Care Use: Infant Emergency Department and Ambulatory Services Pediatrics, July 1, 2001; 108(1): 103 - 110. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. L. Rosenbach, C. Irvin, and R. F. Coulam Access for Low-income Children: Is Health Insurance Enough? Pediatrics, June 1, 1999; 103(6): 1167 - 1174. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				P. A. Butler Medicaid HMO Enrollees in the Emergency Room: Use of Nonemergency Care Med Care Res Rev, March 1, 1998; 55(1): 78 - 98. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. E. Malone Whither the Almshouse? Overutilization and the Role of the Emergency Department Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, January 1, 1998; 23(5): 795 - 832. [Abstract] [PDF]