Lack of access to inpatient beds is the main reason for continued hospital emergency department crowding, according to a report released June 1 by the Government Accountability Office. The GAO found that the average wait time to see a physician in the ED – one measure of crowding – increased from 46 minutes in 2003 to 56 minutes in 2006, while the percentage of visits in which wait time exceeded recommended time frames for patients with immediate (less than 1 minute) and emergent (within 1 to 14 minutes) acuity levels increased from 37.5% in 2003 for both to 73.9% and 50.4% respectively in 2006.
“Emergency rooms are a critical component of our nation’s health care safety net,” said Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), who requested the report. He called the findings “unacceptable” and reiterated the need for comprehensive health care reform.
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