Survey: ED physicians report burnout, desire help for dealing with frequent users.

A new survey conducted by Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, MI, suggests that a high percentage of ED physicians feel burned out from treating patients who repeatedly use the ED inappropriately for primary care, pharmaceuticals, and a wide range of social issues. Further, only about 30% of hospitals have programs in place to better manage these patients. Three-quarters of the ED physicians surveyed said they held bias against frequent users of the ED, and 59% said they have less empathy for these patients than for other patients. Henry Ford Health System has a program that identifies frequent ED users through its electronic medical record, and takes steps to connect these patients with more appropriate care and assistance. Experts point out that while there may be no current financial incentives for developing programs to address inappropriate ED use, that could soon change with health reforms pushing for more cost-effective care.