Source Article – Experts Say Rural Emergency Rooms Are Increasingly Run Without Doctors

Many people would be shocked to think of an emergency room running without doctors, but that is exactly the situation for 7.4% of the emergency rooms in rural areas of America.  The majority of these 7.4% ERs are in hospitals that are categorized as Critical Access Hospitals.

• Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs): CAHs are rural hospitals that meet specific criteria set by CMS. They receive cost-based reimbursement from Medicare and are designed to reduce financial vulnerability and improve access to healthcare in rural communities. CAHs must be located more than 35 miles from another hospital or CAH and provide 24-hour emergency care services.

The American Medical Association and the American College of Emergency Physicians are both in support of state and federal regulation requiring ERs to be staffed with a physician 24/7.  In theory this would be great, but for these rural towns this is their only access to care and if the ER cannot recruit or afford a physician they would be forced to close leaving residents with no options. 

Below is a map detailing the states that currently have ERs with no physician on site.   Without extensive research and current volume data on each ER location, it is difficult to know if an Urgent Care center in proximity to the hospital would be sustainable.  If the ER is the only option for urgent visits and are billed as emergent visits I would think an Urgent Care center would be a welcome addition to the community.

What do you think?