What are the problems at EDs?
Numerous researchers have studied factors contributing to emergency room overcrowding in California, and whether California EDs and trauma centers have the capacity to meet current and future demand. (Refer to the sidebar to view these studies, including the 2003 GAO report Hospital Emergency Departments, Crowded Conditions Vary among Hospitals and Communities.) While not all researchers agree on the extent of and solutions to California’s emergency services problems, several themes stand out in the research. • Capacity and ED closures. Various studies have analyzed emergency department closures over the past decade, and whether there is enough capacity in remaining EDs and trauma centers to meet the needs of a growing population, increasing numbers of uninsured patients, and the necessary “surge capacity” to meet spikes in demand from flu outbreaks to bioterrorism. Some researchers say that, despite some closures over the past decade, overall ED bed capacity has increased. Others say
