The Emergency Care Crisis

California’s emergency and trauma system is overwhelmed, under-funded and no longer able to provide lifesaving care.  In the last decade over 60 hospital emergency rooms and trauma centers have closed.  Many more hospital emergency rooms and trauma centers in California could close.  If these facilities close children, families and seniors will lose access to doctors, nurses, critical medical equipment, medicines and essential emergency care.  Fewer hospitals and emergency rooms mean longer ambulance rides for victims of heart attacks, strokes, car accidents and other medical emergencies.  For many emergency patients, rapid-response treatment is the difference between life and death. 

“As the number of uninsured grows, so does the pressure on the few places that care for them, particularly emergency rooms at public hospitals and federally funded health canters.” – L.A. Times, May 31, 2004 “Ignoring Healthcare Crisis Would Be Political Malpractice”
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“The 24/7 emergency care we’ve come to count on in times of crisis may become a thing of the past.” –U.S. News & World Report, September 10, 2001 “Crisis in the ER”

“Hospitals find it harder and harder to find specialists willing to come in and treat emergency cases.  The specialists, for their part, say that payments have dropped so low—20 to 40 cents on the dollar.” –U.S. News & World Report, September 10, 2001 “Crisis in the ER”

“The hospital industry—citing seismic retrofit requirements, managed care and shrinking reimbursements—has predicted that up to 150 of the state’s hospitals will close in the next few year.” – Office of the Attorney General, May 9, 2001”Financial Problems Most Common Reason Cited for Recent California Hospital Closures”
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“Why do the financial losses matter? Since January 1, 1999, 10 emergency rooms have closed. Since mid-1997, 19 have shut their doors. Since 1990, 60 have closed - nearly 15% of the emergency departments in the state.”
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Coalition to Preserve Emergency Care, sponsored by firefighters, paramedics, doctors, nurses and healthcare providers—Yes on 67
Major funding provided by the California Healthcare Committee on Issues, Sponsored by the California Healthcare Association, Cal/ACEP Initiative Fund, California, Medical Association Physician’s Issues Committee, and the California Primary Care Association • 455 Capitol Mall, Suite 801, Sacramento, CA 95814 FPPC #1256587
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