5 Biggest Advantages of a Freestanding ER Over a Hospital ER

Freestanding emergency rooms are physically separate from a hospital and maybe independent (IFECs) or hospital-owned (OCEDs). A freestanding ER is often confused with a hospital ER. Knowing the differences between the two could help you make a better decision when faced with an emergency situation. In life-threatening situations, even seconds matter, and a freestanding ER can save you a lot of time while you may have to wait for up to a few hours in a hospital ER.

The idea of freestanding ER has become popular in recent years to help improve healthcare facilities in rural areas as well as to meet the growing demand in the urban area. Freestanding ERs offer quality treatment, that is prompt and timely. Freestanding ERs are accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JCAHO).

freestanding ER

Here are some of the many benefits of choosing a freestanding ER over a hospital ER:

Wait Time:

Waiting for hours in a hospital in a life-threatening situation can be upsetting, especially when you see your loved one agonizing.

Wait times in a freestanding ER are taken care of pretty well, as there are no other departments to depend on. Freestanding ERs ensure you get to see a doctor as soon as you reach there.

Focus on patients:

In a fully functional hospital, you have multiple events going on in parallel. The doctor’s attention is mostly divided and not focused entirely on the patient alone.

On the other hand, freestanding ER are specialists and the staff can focus on patients rather than any other ongoing activities. You get more time to discuss things over a doctor’s table when you choose a freestanding ER.

Quality of care:

Freestanding ER guarantees top-notch medical care with their team of board-certified and skilled physicians, surgeons, and nurses. They are well-equipped with the imaging-equipment such as X-rays, EKGs, and ultrasounds to properly diagnose the severity of the medical condition. Cardiac labs help diagnose heart conditions.

Availability and proximity:

An emergency can knock on your door anytime. Freestanding emergency rooms are available 24/7 to help you in the hour of need. Freestanding ERs are typically centrally located so that you don’t have to travel a great distance in life-threatening situations. Freestanding ER comes with the perks of easy and anytime access.

Protection against unwanted diseases:

Shorter wait times of freestanding ER have a plus point, you are less in contact with people carrying contagious diseases. While at a hospital, you wait longer in crowded waiting rooms with people who may have some contagious diseases. When you choose a freestanding ER, you stand a lower chance of carrying those diseases on your way back home.

Billing and Insurance:

While there is no noticeable difference in the costs of the two, having an insurance plan would prove to be beneficial in both cases. Copays and deductibles in your insurance plan would likely be similar. Just keep a note of network status, whether the ER you are visiting is in the network or out of the network. There are conditions a freestanding ER does not attend, thus, there is a need to be forwarded to hospitals.

Generally, independent freestanding emergency rooms have agreements with the local hospitals and may extend the level-of-care whenever needed. The transfer is quick and reliable. A proficient medical billing services company can help with faster reimbursements, whether you choose freestanding ER or Hospital ER.

Atlantic RCM is one of the leading multi-specialty medical billing companies in USA that serves 25+ major medical billing specialties. Our experts work across your practice in billing, collections and account receivables management, to help you succeed.

Get in touch with the leading medical billing outsourcing company to learn more. Call us at (469) 501-1500 or write to us Info@atlanticrcm.com