Dec 24, 2008 8:37 am US/Eastern
Mass. Hospitals Cutting Down ER Waits
BOSTON (AP) ―
State public health officials say emergency room waits are decreasing at many Massachusetts hospitals as they prepare to comply with a new state rule prohibiting ERs from turning away ambulances.
Some ERs reroute ambulances to other hospitals if they are overcrowded.
Last month, ERs were closed for 232 hours, less than one-quarter as often as at the beginning of the year.
As of Jan. 1, hospitals must stop those temporary ER closures, called diversions, in almost all cases.
The Boston Globe reports Wednesday that many hospitals are finding ways to speed the flow of patients through their emergency departments, including hiring more nurses and doctors.
Doctors and others in the industry say the new system will be better for patients.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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