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Overcrowding in Emergency Departments (ED) causes significant negative impacts on the whole healthcare system. This has become a global issue, decreasing the hospitals’ ability to provide critical care to patients that are suffering [National Library of Medicine (NLM)]. This problem affects hospitals, healthcare providers, and patients.
Remote Area Medical (RAM®) aims to bridge the gap in healthcare for those in need. This includes providing patients with preventative care. This may keep them from needing emergency services, as well as helping to prevent overcrowding in emergency departments.
Non-Emergent Medical Care in EDs —
There are many reasons for overcrowding in emergency departments. A primary reason being that patients are admitted with non-urgent or non-emergent conditions. “Non-urgent Emergency Department visits are typically defined as visits for conditions for which a delay of several hours would not increase the likelihood of an adverse outcome,” according to the NLM.
Non-emergent health conditions often treated in the ED include bronchitis, cough, flu, nausea, sore throat, strep throat, and upper respiratory infections [U.S. News & World Report].
According to the NLM, 37% of ED visits were deemed non-urgent. This not only causes a backup and stress for the hospital, but it also affects the patients too. It leads to longer waiting times, “weaker patient-primary care provider relationships,” and a higher cost to patients.
“The average cost of such visits for common conditions that could have been remedied through primary care tops $2,000,” according to U.S. News & World Report. This cost is roughly 12 times higher than visiting a physician’s office, where the average cost is $167, which adds $32 billion annually to national health care costs [U.S. News & World Report].
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Lack of Access to Primary Care —
Other reasons patients reported visiting the ED for non-urgent medical needs was the availability and accessibility of care. Many EDs operate 24/7, whereas primary care providers often follow typical business hours [NLM]. Patients may choose to visit the ED after their primary care offices have closed to avoid missing work, school, or other obligations.
RAM works to lighten this burden on patients by holding our clinics on the weekends. We offer patients a way to get the care they need without missing school or work.
For many uninsured and underinsured individuals, the ED is the only option for healthcare. This can lead to patients searching online for things like “emergency room closest to me.” Because they need care and don’t know where else to go. 40.64% of RAM Patients reported the ED as their only option when they are sick or need health advice. [2024 RAM Patient Data]
Some patients report that not needing an immediate copay is a benefit of EDs. This can factor into why they choose to seek care at an ED instead of a primary care physician. Though, in most cases the cost will ultimately be higher in the end.
Costs associated with medical care are one of the barriers RAM breaks down for patients. All RAM Clinics, services, and care are 100% free to all patients, no exceptions, no questions asked.
Dental Care in the ED —
Dental pain is another reason patients may visit the ED. “A growing number of people rely on hospital emergency departments to provide care for dental pain and related issues,” according to the American Dental Association (ADA).
Many of these dental cases are non-urgent or non-traumatic. Prior to 2019, 95% of all ED visits resulting from dental conditions resulted in the patient being discharged [Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project].
Uninsured individuals and patients with Medicaid are more likely to seek dental care in the ED more often than those with insurance [ADA]. The cost for a dental visit to the ED without hospitalization averages $749, three times the cost of a typical dentist visit.
With access to preventative dental care, such as cleanings, fillings, and extractions, patients are less likely to suffer dental pain that sends them to the ED. This is why RAM Clinics offer these dental services, to prevent pain and alleviate suffering.
RAM also offers some educational content on oral health. See what Dr. Brain Swann has to say about the importance of maintaining oral health and how that affects your overall health.
Vision Care, Optometry, and Ophthalmology in the ED —
Patients may visit the ED for reasons related to eye pain. From 2008-2019 one million patients complained of eye pain in the ED — 69.9% of the diagnoses were non-vision-threatening [Ophthalmology Times].
It is important to manage vision care, make sure to get annual eye exams, and see providers for preventative care. Preventative care is one of the best ways to keep vision patients out of the ED. Preventative vision care is needed for children as well — read more on children’s eye health and safety here.
“Interventions to facilitate management of these cases outside the ED could make ED resources more available for truly emergent ophthalmic and medical issues,” according to JAMA Ophthalmology.
16% of RAM Patients in 2024 reported never having been seen by a vision provider. By offering free vision services RAM is providing patients with much needed preventive care. This includes complete eye examinations and prescription eyeglasses made on-site. Care that is free, quality, and may keep them from needing emergency care for eye-related medical conditions.
RAM Helps to Reduce Overcrowding in Emergency Departments —
How does RAM help lighten this burden on EDs in the U.S.? By providing free, quality dental, vision, and medical care to underserved populations. This preventative care can keep patients from needing the ED as their primary care provider. This care can also help the medical condition before it gets to the point of needing emergency medical care.
In 2024, 27.74% of RAM Patients reported visiting an ED at least once within the last year. By offering preventative care RAM hopes to prevent pain and alleviate suffering, in turn reducing patients’ overall need for emergency services for non-urgent cases. RAM Clinics are meant to serve individuals with the medical care they need for free.
How can you help stop overcrowding in emergency departments? —
By continuing to support RAM and our mission, you are helping more patients get the medical, dental, and vision care they need. If you would like to support us, we would like to encourage you to become a monthly donor. For the same price as a monthly streaming service, you can help RAM bring much needed free clinics to underserved populations across the U.S.
Our volunteers are at the center of everything we do. From general support volunteers setting up the clinic, escorting patients, and more, to medical professionals caring for the health and wellbeing of our patients, to CORE Volunteers traveling with RAM around the country — we could not do what we do without their support. Join us in volunteering at one of our upcoming clinics to help make a difference in your community.
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Our blog is updated weekly, be sure to read any posts you may have missed and check back next week to see what’s new.
As always, if you know someone who could benefit from RAM’s free clinics, please share our schedule with them. RAM’s services are free, no ID required, first-come, first-served. Our mission is to prevent pain and alleviate suffering and we hope to serve as many patients as possible in communities nationwide.
