I was prompted to think of ERs by a WSJ op-ed by Dr. Paul Auerbach. In it, he argues that non-emergency visits to the ER aren't going to stop, much as we might wish patients to do a better job of evaluating when they are actually suffering an "emergency." He notes the limited access to timely care from primary care physicians, and how it is not reasonable to expect people to make such rational evaluations when they or their loved ones are suffering. As he says, "You can't teach patients economics lessons when they don't feel well."
Paul Auerbach
See the following -
To ER Is Human...To Build an App to Find the Right Caregiver Is...
By Kim Bellard | September 29, 2015