Economists are saying free-standing emergency rooms grew too fast in Texas and may not always be the lower-cost option for patients, according to an article on the Fierce Healthcare website.
The building of these 24-hour facilities boomed due to a 2009 Texas law that allowed the establishment of ERs independent of hospitals.
Texas had only a handful of free-standing ERs in 2000. Now there are more than 200 across the state.
The cost of care has increased as their numbers grow. The mean cost of a visit at a free-standing ER was $2,199 in 2015, compared to $2,259 at a hospital ER.
How Backup Power Needs Vary Across Healthcare Settings
Flexible Design Strategies Help OhioHealth Maximize Clinical Space
New Bass Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases Opens
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Daytona Beach Opens
What Healthcare Facilities Can Learn from a $49 Million Window Failure