Researchers studied data on ambulance diversion — when an ED diverts ambulances to other facilities due to overcrowding — at 202 hospitals in California in 2007.
They found hospitals in the 90th percentile of minority ED visitors had 306 annual hours of diversion — 4.1 times as many as hospitals in the 10th percentile, which had 75 hours, all other factors being equal.
More Articles on ED Utilization:
Study: Diabetic Children With Medicaid Revisited ED More Often Than Those With Private Insurance
Study: Pediatric ED Return Visits Averaged 2.7% Annually From 2001-2007
Report: Patient Education Reduced Unnecessary ED Visits by 17%
