Hello,

There’s no telling when medical emergencies might happen. That’s why it’s so important that patients have 24/7 access to critical, life-saving care: for emergency surgeries, mental health crises, trauma incidents, and everything in between.

A recent report from the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare, in partnership with KNG Health Consulting, shows the irreplaceable role hospitals play in providing crucial services to their communities:

• Nearly half of hospitals offer a trauma center, with a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, physicians, and caregivers ready to help patients facing life-threatening injuries that can’t be treated elsewhere.
• Nearly 1,000 hospitals across the country offer inpatient psychiatric beds for those who are experiencing a mental health crisis and need specialized treatment.
• Hospitals are utilized heavily in rural America, where access to other care settings can be especially limited. Rural patients turned to hospital emergency departments almost 18 million times in 2021 alone.

LEARN MORE

Hospitals are the backbone of local communities across the country. Eighty percent of all U.S. hospitals have on-campus emergency departments, ready to treat patients when other sites of care are usually closed. In fact, Americans visited EDs more than 83 million times on weekends or after regular business hours in 2021. Twenty-four seven access to care gives Americans peace of mind, knowing that — at any point — hospitals are ready to treat patients for complex conditions.

It is critical that policymakers understand the importance of protecting access to 24/7 patient care. 

Thank you for your continued support.

- The Coalition to Strengthen America's Healthcare