U.S. Senate bill aims to improve hospital care
Proposed federal bipartisan legislation announced June 9 would fund research into causes of lengthy hospital emergency department waits for open beds, in an effort to improve care.
When inpatient beds reach capacity, patients are queued up in emergency rooms, a practice commonly known as boarding.
U.S. Sens. Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and David McCormick of Pennsylvania are among co-sponsors of the Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department Act. It is co-sponsored in the House by Reps. John Joyce of Pennsylvania and Debbie Dingell of Michigan.
The proposal would fund hospital bed tracking; study best practices for developing and maintaining systems for tracking hospital capacity; and initiate a pilot program to improve care for patients most likely to experience boarding, including seniors and people with acute psychiatric needs.
The bill is also endorsed by the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Delaware Healthcare Association.
The bill is “an important step toward alleviating emergency department overcrowding and improving patient care,” said John Van Gorp, senior vice president and chief strategy officer for Bayhealth.
“Emergency department challenges are complex, driven by factors such as workforce shortages, limited primary-care access, and insufficient access to nursing homes and behavioral health facilities,” Van Gorp said. “Seasonal surges, like those during respiratory illness periods, further exacerbate crowding.”
Dr. Paul Sierzenski, Beebe Healthcare’s senior vice president and chief physician executive, praised the bill June 11.
“We are always focused on improving the efficiency of our patient-centered care, especially in the emergency department, where patients are their most vulnerable,” Sierzenski said. “As the bill is written now, one area Beebe is hopeful for is the authorization for the CMS Innovation Center ‘to pilot improved care programs for patients most likely to experience ED boarding, including seniors and those with acute psychiatric needs.’ This would be a great benefit for our team and community.”
“Improving data systems for hospitals serving neighboring communities – like those on the border of Delaware and Pennsylvania – can reduce wait times, improve patient flow and support emergency medical staff,” according to a news release issued by Coons and McCormick.
The plan would develop state- or region-wide systems for tracking hospital bed capacity, how that affects emergency room boarding rates and how long people wait in emergency rooms before moving to inpatient rooms. It would also try to determine the cause of the problem.
“If you’ve ever had to go to an emergency room in Delaware, you know that wait times are just too long,” Coons said. “Too many patients end up having to wait hours, or even days, for a bed to open up in the hospital, no matter the emergency. I’ve heard from so many Delawareans about this problem, and I’m proud to lead the federal effort to find solutions.”
“The ABC-ED Act equips emergency physicians with resources and real-time data to inform medical decisions that can reduce dangerous delays and improve the flow of patients through the emergency care continuum," said Dr. Alison Haddock, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians.
“Crowded emergency departments and long wait times can put a strain on our healthcare workforce and lead to patients abandoning care,” Brian Frazee, president and CEO of the Delaware Healthcare Association, said in the release.
The average emergency department visit time in Delaware was 141 minutes in 2023 – compared with 156 minutes averaged in 2013.
The U.S. Comptroller General would be directed to conduct a study to determine the best practices to develop and maintain data systems to track hospital capacity state- or region-wide for hospital emergency departments, pediatric intensive care units, inpatient psychiatric services, skilled nursing and other facilities is seamless.
A report would be due to Congress no later than a year after approval, according to a bill summary.
Bayhealth’s Van Gorp said despite the bill, more assistance will be needed.
“While the ABC-ED Act is an important federal initiative, complementary state-level actions – such as expanding post-acute care capacity and addressing inpatient bed and workforce shortages – are essential to fully tackle these systemic issues and enhance care delivery for Delawareans,” he said.
Van Gorp said sharing information will help hospitals to learn from each other.
“Generally, when we share information and collaborate, we perform better,” he said.
Kevin Conlon came to the Cape Gazette with nearly 40 years of newspaper experience since graduating from St. Bonaventure University in New York with a bachelor's degree in mass communication. He reports on Sussex County government and other assignments as needed.
His career spans working as a reporter and editor at daily newspapers in upstate New York, including The Daily Gazette in Schenectady. He comes to the Cape Gazette from the Cortland Standard, where he was an editor for more than 25 years, and in recent years also contributed as a columnist and opinion page writer. He and his staff won regional and state writing awards.
Conlon was relocating to Lewes when he came across an advertisement for a reporter job at the Cape Gazette, and the decision to pursue it paid off. His new position gives him an opportunity to stay in a career that he loves, covering local news for an independently owned newspaper.
Conlon is the father of seven children and grandfather to two young boys. In his spare time, he trains for and competes in triathlons and other races. Now settling into the Cape Region, he is searching out hilly trails and roads with wide shoulders. He is a fan of St. Bonaventure sports, especially rugby and basketball, as well as following the Mets, Steelers and Celtics.
