What is one of the hottest trends in health care? It’s not on campus or an app for your smartphone, but rather located in your neighborhood shopping center.
Freestanding emergency departments (FSED’s), emergency departments not attached to a hospital, efficiently connect patients with needed care closer to where they live. Many FSEDs boast little or no wait times and very high patient-satisfaction scores. Studies have shown that FSEDs are able to achieve hospital-level quality of care, even for the most serious and time-critical conditions.
In this article written by Jay Jackman and published by WMFD.com, FSED’s are taking center stage in Columbus, Ohio, as they look for way to reposition themselves for the shifting demographics and demands they are facing.
“There is a growing demand from patients, both nationally and locally, for healthcare to be delivered conveniently and in their own communities,” said Kristin McManmon, president, OhioHealth Neighborhood Care. “Our goal is to build a network of freestanding emergency departments that will allow people to receive emergency care in a more convenient setting, closer to home.”
David Wilson, Executive Vice President of Lockard Development has been a vocal proponent of the FSED market and the benefits they bring to communities. In an article dated July 1st, 2015, David wrote, “As certain areas get more densely populated, FSEDs serve the purpose of providing more accessible emergency care. That’s why more of these care facilities are popping up in the outer suburban rings of major metropolitan areas. Additionally, in growing communities that can’t yet support a full-service hospital, FSEDs and urgent care facilities give those residents a full suite a medical care. FSEDs could possibly be the answer to the decline in available care in rural areas as well.”
As providers strive for more-efficient, higher-quality health care, and consumers demand lower cost, innovations such as the FSED will continue to flourish and quite possibly compliment the overall care-delivery system.