Hospitals in the US are being urged to prepare for potential operational challenges from 1 January, as millions of Medicaid recipients may face new requirements that could lead to a loss of coverage.
This comes as hospitals are already experiencing rising uncompensated care and increasing demand in emergency departments. Eugene Litvak, President and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Optimization, suggests that hospitals have a responsibility to prepare for these changes.
An analysis of 1,692,090 hospital admissions in New York State found that scheduled admissions were often concentrated early in the week. By distributing elective admissions more evenly, hospitals could reduce competition for beds and staff.
While this approach cannot prevent coverage losses or eliminate all causes of emergency department crowding, it could help hospitals manage added pressure, potentially reducing delays and patient harm.