title: Health systems turn to stand-alone EDs to handle surges in demand, bids for market share.
abstract: Stand-alone emergency departments are cropping up across the country as health systems endeavor to manage increased demand for emergency care, while hospital-based facilities are declining. Some health systems are also using the strategy to enhance their market share or to establish a footprint in a fast-growing area. Humility of Mary Health Partners based in Youngstown, OH, has established stand-alone EDs to gain market share in fast-growing areas, as well as to meet the needs of under-served areas. Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia, MN, opened a stand-alone ED facility 10 miles away that also offers urgent care. One triage process determines whether patients will be siphoned to urgent care or emergency care areas. Urgent care patients typically offer lower reimbursement rates. Ridgeview administrators worked with area hospital providers to remove barriers or disincentives that might prevent patients from accessing care at the health system's stand-alone ED.
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D055872:Surge Capacity / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States