Download or read book The Evolving Role of Emergency Departments in the United States written by Kristy Gonzalez Morganti and published by Rand Corporation. This book was released on 2013-05-20 with total page 74 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report explores the evolving role that hospital emergency departments play in the U.S. health care system. EDs evaluate and manage complex and high-acuity patients, are the major point of entry to inpatient care, and serve as "the safety net of the safety net" for patients who cannot get care elsewhere. The report examines the role that EDs may come to play in either contributing to or reducing the rising costs of health care.