By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    bowl of vegetable salad
    Raw Foods: benefits and harms
    November 9, 2021
    pros and cons of the keto diet
    Read This Before You Follow the Keto Diet
    May 18, 2022
    spinal cord injuries
    4 Potential Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries (and How to Seek Compensation)
    May 25, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Striking Back at the Drug Abuse Epidemic [VIDEO]
    December 19, 2013
    The basics of getting health insurance
    The Basics of Getting Health Insurance
    June 13, 2022
    Finally: An FDA (Draft) Guidance for Social Media in Medical Marketing
    January 21, 2014
    Latest News
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
    Strengthening Healthcare Systems Through Clinical and Administrative Career Development
    June 13, 2025
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: 7 Ways to Reduce ER Admissions and Readmissions
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > Hospital Administration > 7 Ways to Reduce ER Admissions and Readmissions
BusinessHospital Administration

7 Ways to Reduce ER Admissions and Readmissions

Abby Norman
Last updated: August 18, 2014 8:11 am
Abby Norman
Share
5 Min Read
Readmissions Revolving Door
SHARE

Readmissions Revolving DoorFor many hospitals, the emergency room is the busiest place for both staff and patients. Overcrowding, long wait times and inefficient care plague a lot of U.S. hospitals and there is a growing need for solutions.

Contents
1. Limit Opioid Prescriptions2. Know the Primary Care Doctors In Your Community3. Know What Patients Have Asked For Narcotics Before4. Know the Mental Health Resources in Your Community5. Develop Urgent Care or Minor Treatment Centers6. Make Sure ED Patients Have a Care Plan7. Offer a 24-hour Hotline Staffed by Nurses to Field QuestionsComments 

Readmissions Revolving DoorFor many hospitals, the emergency room is the busiest place for both staff and patients. Overcrowding, long wait times and inefficient care plague a lot of U.S. hospitals and there is a growing need for solutions. Not only is the overutilization costing money, but it is affecting patient satisfaction scores, meaning that hospitals aren’t meeting their annual measures.

Of course, there are times in the life of any emergency room, when it’s unavoidably busy: during summer months, hospitals that are in prime vacation areas need to plan for an influx of one-time patients. In the event of a disaster or outbreak of communicable illnesses in a community, utilization of emergency room services are certain to skyrocket. But what about in general, when physicians find that they are treating patients who, ultimately, do not need emergency services – meaning that patients who do are left in a lurch?

There are certainly steps you can take to reduce the over-utilization of emergency services at your hospital. Check the list below to see what you could do to improve your numbers.

More Read

OCR HIPAA Audits Finally Kick Off – Do They Matter?
Empowering Healthcare Improvement with the Community Needs Assessment
Sonitus Medical – Premier Hearing Prosthetic
Healthcare Lead Generation: Tips For Increasing Your Sales
Beyond the Buzz: What the New Twitter Profile Means for Healthcare Marketing

1. Limit Opioid Prescriptions

Patients may be drug-seeking or, they may legitimately need the narcotics they are taking – but in either case, the emergency room is not the place to get this prescription refilled. Unless the need for narcotics is from an acute illness or injury, the emergency room should not be the “fast food” equivalent to the pharmacy.

2. Know the Primary Care Doctors In Your Community

Many patients who over-utilize or incorrectly utilize ED services do so because they lack a primary care doctor. You can combat this by knowing the PCPs in your community -and how to best refer patients to them. Keep an updated list at the nurse’s station.

3. Know What Patients Have Asked For Narcotics Before

Not only is this important from a legal perspective- so you can identify potential drug-seeking patients, but it will also help you see patterns in a patient’s usage. When a patient makes a request for opioids, make sure it is noted in the chart. Then, if they return a few weeks later, even if they see another doctor that physician will be alerted that they could be drug-seeking.

4. Know the Mental Health Resources in Your Community

Just like you would want to refer patients to a primary care doctor, patients who have ongoing struggles and needs due to mental illness need to be referred to the appropriate services. Of course, there are times when patients are utilizing the emergency room in emergent mental health situations, and at this time they would be referred to inpatient services.

5. Develop Urgent Care or Minor Treatment Centers

One of the best ways to reroute some of your emergency department traffic is by utilizing or creating an urgent care clinic or minor treatment area within your healthcare organization. These places are equipped to deal with minor injuries and illnesses that might divert attention away from more critical patients if they were left up to the ED staff.

6. Make Sure ED Patients Have a Care Plan

To avoid multiple ED visits or readmissions, make sure that when patients are discharged they have a follow-up plan and know who to call if they have questions about their treatment, any medications or what to do if they don’t get better. Many patients can be confused about when they should return to the ED -and when a call to their Primary Care Office would suffice.

7. Offer a 24-hour Hotline Staffed by Nurses to Field Questions

While this might not be feasible for all hospitals, if it can be managed, it will certainly help to guide people to the correct resources, eliminating high utilization of emergency department services.

Comments 

What other ways is your hospital trying to reduce readmissions and emergency department over-utilization? Let us know in the comments or tweet us your ideas!

TAGGED:ERreadmissions
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share
By Abby Norman
My name is Abby Norman and I am a healthcare blogger. With over 10 years of experience in the medical field, I have developed a passion for helping others understand the complexities of healthcare.

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

scientist using microscope
When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
Global Healthcare
June 18, 2025
How Therapy Can Improve Your Mental Health and Daily Life
How Therapy Can Improve Your Mental Health and Daily Life
Mental Health
June 18, 2025
healthcare facilities
Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
Global Healthcare Infographics
June 15, 2025
from gut to glow
From Plate to Wellness: How Everyday Foods Nourish Your Body Inside and Out
Dental health Infographics Specialties
June 15, 2025

You Might also Like

error mistake
Business

Image Building at the Expense of Real Growth: A Critical Mistake

March 30, 2014

June 1- Meeting for NYC Health Business Leaders

May 9, 2011

4 Good Apps for Flu Season

December 8, 2011
biopharma beat CES 2015
BusinessDiagnosticsMedical DevicesMedical InnovationsMobile HealthPublic HealthTechnologyWellness

BioPharma Beat: Wearables for Health – A Mile Wide and an Inch Deep

January 12, 2015
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?