Emergency Department Visits: A Cure or a Symptom?

Each year, one in five Americans visit the emergency department (ED) at least once  – and these costly ED visits are on the rise. Are they a symptom of a larger issue in our health care system? Many of emergency visits are preventable – this may be a symptom for inefficient care management, inadequate patient access, or lack of patient knowledge. As hospitals and payers transition into value-based care, interpreting ED visits may be a symptom of a larger problem. In this episode of Value-Based Care Insights, Daniel J. Marino is joined by Dr. Nicholas Dodaro, Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of Medical Life Holdings, a portfolio of companies and practices founded in 2006 to improve the value of health care delivery. The two discuss common issues with emergency room visits, why they’re so costly, and what to do about them.