Unique Commitment

Community Needs
Dr. Edward A. MichelsonUniversity Hospitals’ emergency department treats a disproportionate share of charity cases.

But UH is hardly alone in the struggle to provide care to everyone who enters its doors. Many academic teaching institutions face similar situations in treating increasing numbers of uninsured populations, said Dr. Michelson, UH Chair of Emergency Medicine.

“People are going for help where they know help is available,” he said. “They go where they won’t be turned away. Insurance is not a factor in the emergency room.”



The Community that Case Medical Center ServesA fair number of people who cannot afford their medications end up in the emergency department. On top of that, people are sicker.

UH admits more than 1,000 patients per month. For every 100 patient visits, 27 people are admitted.

Built during the late 1970s on Adelbert Road in University Circle, the emergency department is ill-equipped to handle the current patient load.

Hoping to put its facility challenges to rest, UH broke ground during the summer for a $41 million, 54,000-square-foot facility slated for completion in 2009. The new emergency department will feature 56 beds, an eight-bed observation room for patients experiencing chest pain, specialized rooms with built-in bathrooms and showers for sexual assault victims and rooms for psychiatric patients.

UH hopes to improve efficiency and reduce patient wait times. Nationally, between 8 percent and 12 percent of
visitors leave the emergency department without being seen. The walkout rate at UH is around 2 percent, and the staff is trying to reduce that number by cutting down on the time it takes to prepare patients for the doctor.

External improvements will also make the emergency department more accessible. Visitors will enter the department from Euclid Avenue, while emergency vehicles will be able to bypass traffic and enter from an alternate location. A new parking garage will hold 800 vehicles.