Contracting for emergency room coverage by rural hospitals.
Obtaining adequate physician availability remains a challenge to many rural communities. To ensure 24-hour emergency room physician coverage, many rural hospitals contracted for emergency room services from out-of-area and/or local physician. Survey findings for 99 rural and rural referral Iowa hospitals addressing the nature, extent, and cost of contracting physician coverage of the emergency room are presented. While nearly two-thirds of the hospitals reported contracting for at least some emergency room coverage, the extent and costs of contracts vary widely. Advantages and disadvantages of contracting for emergency room services are discussed.
College of Medicine and Graduate College, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242.
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Wakefield
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Tracy
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Myer
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Wallace
D003284:Contract Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004635:Emergency Medicine; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006302:Health Services Research; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007484:Iowa; D000078329:Workforce