ED Overcrowding Reaches Tipping Point

October 14, 2024

Reminder: If your team has not submitted data for our ED overcrowding survey, there’s still time. Fill out information for your facility online.

 Hospitals in Pennsylvania and across the U.S. are facing a full-blown crisis that has prevented patients from getting timely care in their emergency departments (ED).

This year, HAP has led efforts with policymakers, providers, and other advocates to address the issue.

• The issue:  There are about 5.8 million visits to Pennsylvania EDs each year and the average wait time at a Pennsylvania ED is 182 minutes (41^st in the nation).
• What it means for hospitals:  ED overcrowding reverberates throughout facilities and places significant constraints on the ways practitioners provide care.
• HAP engagement:  HAP has partnered with the Department of Health, the Pennsylvania Medical Society, and other stakeholders to assess some of the most common drivers of ED overcrowding (staffing shortages; hospital capacity constraints; and discharge delays) and inform a report to the governor identifying strategies to reduce its impact across the state.

The hospital voice is critical to keep these discussions grounded in data, focused on solutions that address your challenges, and not driven by harmful narratives.

See additional insights in our latest Regulatory Roundup column (login required). For more information about our work to address ED overcrowding, contact Kate McCale, vice president, compliance and regulatory affairs, or Jennifer Jordan, vice president, equity and behavioral health.