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Welcome to the October issue!
In this issue: Measuring and improving ED speed, best practices at St. Elizabeth's Hospital, and trends in the ED.


Measuring and Improving ED Speed
Emergency department visits are already long, and they are getting longer. According to Press Ganey Associates, Inc., the average emergency room visit last year averaged four hours and seven minutes. It is the longest time they have ever recorded, a full 30 minutes longer than their first report in 2002. The focus on length of stay in the ED will become institutionalized if the Center for Medicare Services requires hospitals to track speed metrics and post them on hospitalcompare.hhs.gov. It will be the first time that speed measures are tracked on the CMS site, and, if history is a guide, we can expect that CMS will eventually base payments on these measures.
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Case Study

Best Practices at St. Elizabeth's Hospital
At St. Elizabeths Hopsital in Belleville, IL, wait times were increasing. Patients leaving without treatment rose to 6 percent. Public perception was declining, and patient satisfaction ratings were dropping. Here is how the hospital tackled old problems in new ways and got real results.
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News From Meds

Coming next month . . .
Five trends affecting physician compensation, trends in the ED, and more.
Learn more about MEDS

Reducing ED Overcrowding
From Healthcare Finance News, these seven methods help to reduce emergency department overcrowding. Tips include posting wait times online and using a fast track system.
Full story

Code Crazy
From the Wall Street Journal, this article puts the upcoming ICD-10 codes in perspective.
Full story

Learning from the DMV?
From MarketWatch, long hospital wait times can be deadly. Here are some suggestions for shortening the wait, including a lesson or two from the DMV.
Full story

Limiting Nonemergency ED Visits
Washington state will limit nonemergency ED visits to three per year for Medicaid patients, saving $72 million per year.
Full story

Mentally Disturbed Patients in the ED
From the L.A. Times, the ED is becoming a costly destination for mentally disturbed patients. Budget cuts are creating added safety risks and placing a burden on already crowded emergency rooms.
Full story