Impact of freestanding emergency centers on hospital emergency department use.

This study was conducted to determine whether hospital emergency department (ED) use has been affected by the presence of freestanding emergency centers (FECs) in hospitals' service areas. A sample of FECs was drawn and hospitals in their service areas identified. ED visits to those hospitals from 1970 to 1980 were compared with those of a comparison group of hospitals not studied. The presence of FECs did not lead to a decline in ED visits to hospitals in their service areas. The study documented that FECs are located near hospitals that are larger than average and that have busier EDs. Because of the relative newness of FEC development, future studies of this type should be conducted. This study could not answer the question of whether FECs caused the growth of hospital ED visits to slow. It did not attempt to measure the impact FECs have on private medical practices or determine whether FECs attract currently underserved patient groups.