Is the recession affecting emergency department volume?

Mixed reaction from two emergency bloggers.

WhiteCoat sees a decline, and notes that in border like Arizona, Hispanics that normally visit the emergency department have left town.

I’m seeing more of what Shadowfax observes. More people are losing their jobs, and subsequently their health insurance, leading to a higher number of uninsured visiting the ED. What’s likely happening nationwide is that “there will be fewer commercially insured patients, and more Medicaid and uninsured patients,” which will “drive our reimbursement down significantly.”

This is happening in primary care settings as well.

topics: uninsured, economy