GAO report: Community health centers could ease ED overuse

A new report from the federal Government Accountability Office concludes that community health centers may offer hope to reducing unnecessary emergency department visits (Source: “Community health centers seen as key to reducing emergency room cost,” The Hill Healthwatch blog, May 11, 2011).

The GAO report (pdf, 7 pages) analyzed three strategies that health centers use to reduce non-urgent ED visits, including ED diversion through education; care coordination focused on prevention; and make health center services more accessible on evenings and weekends.

Although the report found limited data on the effectiveness of the health center strategies, it found that “some officials provided anecdotal reports that the strategies have reduced emergency department use."