State Regulations Affect Prevalence of Freestanding Emergency Departments

States that do not require a certificate of need have more freestanding EDs.

Freestanding emergency departments (EDs) offer emergency care offsite from a hospital. These researchers examined the effect of state policies and regulations on the prevalence and operation of freestanding EDs.

As of December 2015, there were a total of 400 freestanding EDs in 32 states. One state (California) prohibits them, 21 have regulations that allow them, and 29 do not have any specific regulations. States that require a certificate of need (CON) to establish a freestanding ED have significantly fewer of these facilities per capita than states that do not have such a requirement (0.57 vs. 1.52 per million people). (The same is true for ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, or any type of medical establishment subject to CON.) …

Reviewing Author

Jennifer L. Wiler, MD, MBA, FACEP

Disclosures

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesColorado Medical Society (Member, Board of Directors)

Jennifer L. Wiler, MD, MBA, FACEP

Disclosures

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesColorado Medical Society (Member, Board of Directors)

State Regulations Affect Prevalence of Freestanding Emergency Departments

Topics

Reviewing Author