Emergency Department crowding is exacerbated by the increase in the number of patients with mental disorders, substance abuse problems or both, who present with acute problems. Besides the mental health conditions these patients often have other medical problems including diabetes, liver disease, and various infections.
An increasing number of psychiatric patients are being admitted to Emergency Department’s (ED) in nearly every hospital in the U. S. It’s an ongoing surge, and is heavily taxing ED’s and community hospital resources. How to deal with this growing influx of psych patients in the ED when you have limited resources?
HFAP is the accreditation process that has grown out of the former hospital approval process of the American Osteopathic Association. Founded in 1945, this accreditation program has experienced growth well beyond its traditional base of osteopathic hospitals to encompass over 200 acute-care hospitals, plus 200 other accredited entities.