New Report: Hospital Emergency Departments Provide Around-The-Clock Care

Health emergencies happen everywhere. But in rural communities, where access to healthcare is more scarce, the consequences can be especially dire. A new research report from KNG Health Consulting, “Hospital Provision of 24-hour Care and Specialized Services,” sheds light on the unique role hospitals play in meeting their communities’ unique healthcare needs around the clock.

The insights from this report further spotlight how hospitals are vital access points for care in rural America. Of the 80% of US hospitals that have an on-campus emergency department (ED), a quarter are located in rural areas. More than 6 in 10 visits to EDs occur on weekends or after regular business hours, underscoring the need for the around-the-clock care that only hospitals provide. These EDs treat any patient who arrives, regardless of the severity of their condition or their ability to pay for needed care. For example, in 2021, 17.6 million ED visits led directly to the patient being admitted to the attached hospital — reflecting the seriousness of the conditions that brought patients to the ED and the need for hospitals’ unique capabilities.

The report also highlights the degree to which rural seniors rely on hospital EDs. Seniors who live in rural areas often face more significant obstacles to their health than those in urban areas due to being more isolated, less mobile, and more likely to develop complicated conditions. The data shows that nearly 1 in 4 after-hours visits to rural EDs involves a patient over the age of 65, compared to just 15% of ED visits in urban areas.

Further, a mental health crisis requires urgent and effective response to potentially save the life of the patient. Often, hospital facilities and their EDs are the front-line providers to care for life-threatening conditions and mental health crises. As the report finds, more than one million ED visits in 2021 resulted in a transfer to a psychiatric hospital. The report also shares that “the number of ED visits admitted to mental health units has increased over time,” as over 540,000 ED patients were admitted to inpatient mental health units in 2021. Given hospitals’ role as first responders to rural mental health crises, we cannot afford to lose these services and must find a long-term solution to better treat and reimburse the valuable mental healthcare that hospital systems provide.

There is a clear need to alleviate the financial burdens facing rural hospitals. The current trajectory for rural healthcare access is not sustainable. Rural hospitals need more attention and support from our leaders in Congress. As the report concludes, “payments to hospitals from government and private payers must be adequate to ensure continued access to around-the-clock care and specialized services.”

View the full report from KNG Health Consulting on the value of hospitals in providing 24-hour care and specialized services HERE.