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Report Analyzes Third Quarter Rise in Northeast Ohio Emergency Department Visits

The number of Northeast Ohio emergency department visits increased in the third quarter of 2014, according to The Center for Health Affairs’ latest Key Indicators Report. Though the 5.16 percent increase over the third quarter of 2013 is slightly larger than what is typically seen, it is not inconsistent with the region’s long-term volume trends.

From the moment Ohio’s Controlling Board voted to expand Medicaid in the Buckeye state, supporters and opponents have debated what the impact of this decision would be. That is one reason Northeast Ohio emergency department visits have received such heightened attention in recent months. Some have worried that Ohio’s hospitals would be inundated with a flood of newly–insured patients seeking care in emergency departments. This members-only publication examines this assertion along with other long-term trends to determine whether or not it should be a cause for concern.

The Key Indicators Report provides analysis of hospital market trends based on Volume Statistics data. For more information on Northeast Ohio emergency department visits or to obtain a username and password to access this report, please contact George Jeney via email or at 216.255.3666.