ED visits before ACA was passed

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Looking for an article or information on what a typical ED visit was like before the ACA was passed. I've been a nurse for 5 years and I'm working on finishing my BSN. One of my assignment would like me to explain the ED process before the ACA, but I'm having a difficult time finding any articles that discuss the difference. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

Simple, do your research

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I love nurses who help others. That is what I have been doing for the last couple days, so I decided to give this area a shot. I have not found any articles as of yet. But thanks for your support.

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care-Family Medicine.

I did a quick google search and found multiple articles comparing and contrasting the difference.

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Have you made any observations/is there a particular difference that you would like to write about?

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I have found a lot of articles about how the ACA has improved care in patients with preexisting illnesses, and 20 million uninsured patients now have coverage. I also know the process in which a patient is usually treated in the Emergency Department, typically triaging the patient, a medical screening or exam, diagnosis and treatment, admission if needed, and discharge. But what I'd like to find out is if that ED process was the same or different before the ACA law. I will do all my research but that is something I haven't been able to locate.

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I also know the process in which a patient is usually treated in the Emergency Department, typically triaging the patient, a medical screening or exam, diagnosis and treatment, admission if needed, and discharge. But what I'd like to find out is if that ED process was the same or different before the ACA law.

^ EMTALA pretty much mandates that basic process, and EMTALA hasn't changed.

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

Go to your library and ask to talk to a research librarian. Or use your library's online "ask a librarian" feature.

I have a friend who is a research librarian, and the obscure stuff she can find is just amazing.

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As an ER nurse, I have noticed no changes in how people use the ER.

People who use the ER frivolously generally pay nothing for the visit. Whether that is because it is covered by their insurance, or because they simply don't pay their bills, they will frequently and casually use our expensive, free, services.

People who pay co-pays or actual bills tend to come in when they feel they have an emergency.

Apparently, volume is up nationally. But, as an ER nurse, I wouldn't notice that. If our numbers went from 35,000 to 38,000, that would be statistically significant, but I wouldn't notice an extra 8 people a day.

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Specializes in school nurse.
Simple, do your research

Ouch.

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Specializes in mental health / psychiatic nursing.

As some one who has been an ED patient both before and after ACA I noticed no real difference in my actual care and any differences could likely be attributed to the visits being at different hospitals (and even then an ED is pretty much an ED no matter where you go).

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I would look outside the box on this one.

Look at hospital volumes, usage of ED's, have they increased in your area after the passage of ACA?

Interview a patient who has ACA coverage how they treated their healthcare before and after

Personally our numbers are up beyond capacity. We are a community hospital who serve a low economic area and we see our ED used as a primary care treatment center. We have had to reorganize the ED and employ navigators to help.

Have hospitals in your area had to employ navigators, has the ACA created new jobs structures? Changes in how the ED triage patients? I know some hospitals have placed an urgent care clinic nearby. We also have teledoctors through Walgreens to help take the load off of emergency care medicine- emergency care medicine is costly, to save $ open extended clinics to balance the financial burden on our system.

Look at the admission rates, are they lower or higher through the ED? Why? If higher maybe it could mean that people from a lower socioeconomic status has affordable healthcare and is now putting it to use (just trying to get you to think).

Don't go for the obvious, because the obvious isnt getting you the answers you want so pick something you believe to be true/false and then substantiate it with data.

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