The Costs of Avoidable Emergency Department Visits
Avoidable emergency department visits add $32 billion in costs to the healthcare system each year.
Every year, there are 18 million visits to the emergency department (ED) that could have been avoided. This over-utilization adds $32 billion in costs to the healthcare system each year.
According to United Healthcare, two-thirds of patients every year could have avoided a trip to the ED and could have instead been treated safely and effectively in high-quality, low-cost primary care settings.
Unnecessary ED visits are a lose-lose situation for providers and patients. Some of the key ways to cut down on avoidable ED visits include:
- Patient education: help patients understand their care options and give them informational materials relevant to their needs.
- Prompt follow-up: contacting patients within 72 hours of their last visit.
- Consistent patient engagement: making sure patients stay on top of their health and schedule check-ups as needed.
For many healthcare organizations that are already stretched thin, meeting these extra demands can be a tough task - that's where Maya can help.
MayaMD is a robust AI health assistant that gives patients 24/7 access to symptom assessments, treatment advice, telemedicine, patient education and more - all from your phone or computer.
Learn more about how Maya can help reduce unnecessary utilization for your organization by contacting us today.
