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Study: Calif. ERs see sharp hike in visits

Despite attempts to steer patients away from the emergency room, visits have increased by 44 percent since 2006

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A study found that California emergency rooms have seen a sharp increase in visits, despite efforts to steer patients away.

Photo/KCHS

By EMS1 Staff

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A study found that California emergency rooms have seen a sharp increase in visits, despite efforts to steer patients away.

Biz Journals reported that a study published by the California Healthcare Foundation found that ER visits increased by 44 percent from 2006 to 2016.

California Hospital Association spokesperson Jan Emerson-Shea said beneficiaries of California’s Medicare program, called Medi-Cal have risen from 8 million to 14 miliion, and the study found that the beneficiaries are increasing their ER visits.

“What we have seen over the last few years is a definite decrease in emergency room visits by uninsured and almost a 1-to-1 increase in patients that now have Medi-Cal,” Emerson-Shea said.

Emerson-Shea added that the increase in visits could be due to a lack of doctors accepting Medi-Cal.

“You still have crowded emergency rooms because you have millions of people coming to the emergency room because they can’t find a Medi-Cal doctor,” she said.

The study added that Sacramento is the third-highest area in the state for its number of ER visits, with 410 ER patients per 1,000 residents.

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