Tuesday, April 10, 2012

An ER for seniors?

Some say it's just a marketing gimmick.  Others say it results in better treatment.  The "it" is the separate hospital emergency room for old people.  This is a relatively new move by hospitals, the first senior ER was opened just a few years ago.  Within the next year or two there will be more than 50 ERs for seniors.  It seems to me, a senior, that this is more than a marketing gimmick, but more experience is needed.

The senior ER has features tailored for the elderly: "nonskid floors, rails along the walls, reclining chairs for patients and thicker mattresses to reduce bedsores. To keep the noise down, the curtain rings and rods around the beds are made of plastic instead of metal".  There are volunteers to provide human interaction and other amenities - such as reading glasses, Sudoku puzzles and hearing aids - while patients wait to be treated.  Patients are also given Ipads with which they
can have a two-way video conversation with a nurse, or touch the screen to ask for lunch, pain medication or music. 

There are financial incentives for the hospital under Obamacare.  One factor in reimbursements to the hospital is patient satisfaction.  These new ERs should result in higher satisfaction scores. Keep in mind that 15-20% of those visiting the ER are elderly; this ratio can only increase as more baby boomers age.

It will be interesting to see what the situation looks like a few years from now.

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