More than two-thirds of the 6.5 million emergency room visits for people under age 65 are avoidable, according to a study released today by Truven Health Analytics. The study examined insurance claims data for over 6.5 million emergency department visits made in calendar year 2010 and found that just 29% of patients required immediate attention in the emergency room.
About 72% of emergency room visits made by patients with employer-sponsored insurance coverage are for causes that do not require immediate attention in the emergency room, or are preventable with proper outpatient care:
