HASC has released the results of its ED Utilization Survey, which was conducted in January 2014 to initiate a monthly survey to track emergency department (ED) utilization.

The HASC ED Utilization survey tracks utilization in six-county region within Southern California: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. The survey’s aim is to find whether Southern California hospitals have experienced an increase in ED utilization as it is compared to the previous month, as well as the same month of the previous year. Data are differentiated by eight categories:

• Total ED visits
• ED visits that resulted in an inpatient admission
• ED visits that were treat and release
• ED visits by patients enrolled in Medi-Cal
• ED visits by patients enrolled in Covered California
• ED visits by self-pay patients
• ED visits by patients brought in via 911 transport
• ED visits by patients on 5150 holds

These groupings were used to determine whether utilization volume in the surveyed demographic has increased, decreased, or stayed the same. Responses were also tracked by county; however, with the exception of Los Angeles County, there were not enough responses to analyze the results in this manner.

The first three months show:

• Increased ED utilization compared to the same three months in 2013. The increase in ED utilization in these early months may relate to the particularly bad influenza season in 2014. This would cause ED utilization to increase in all payer classifications, particularly for Medi-Cal and self-pay patients.

Of the 33 respondents in January:

• 57.6 percent noted an increase in ED visits in January 2014 compared to January 2013.
• 78.8 percent saw an increase in total emergency department utilization compared to December 2013.

Of the 27 respondents in February:

• Participants reported a decrease or no change in each category surveyed compared to the previous month.
• 51.9 percent saw an increase in 5150 hold patients in February 2014 compared to February 2013.

Of the 29 respondents in March:

• 58.6 percent noted an increase in ED visits in March 2014 compared to March 2013.
• 75.9 percent saw an increase in total emergency department utilization compared to the previous month.

We appreciate all the hospitals that responded to the survey. If your hospital would like to start participating in the survey, please contact Sherita Rogers at srogers@hasc.org or (213) 538-0767.

Contact: Jamila Mayers

(213) 538-0739, jmayers@hasc.org