Resource Center

Despite the near-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department (ED) utilization, we expect that ED volumes will recover and pre-COVID utilization patterns will return. The ED continues to be not only an expensive setting for hospitals and payors to care for patients, but it’s also not necessarily the best place to be treated for low acuity conditions. Thus, health systems must be prepared with strategies to continue to manage their non-urgent/avoidable ED usage going forward and ensure patients receive appropriate preventative and chronic disease care in the right setting.

This research-based report outlines:

1. Digital and non-digital strategies for reducing avoidable ED utilization
2. Case studies that highlight effective interventions and their outcomes
3. Common barriers we see to operationalizing these strategies within health organizations

Interested in this topic? Click here to see all content and resources focused on Health Equity Through Digital.