Res 0723-2019

By Council Members Gjonaj, Rivera, Holden, Cabrera, Adams, Brannan, Grodenchik, Salamanca, Gibson, Ayala, Rodriguez, Maisel, Cornegy and Reynoso Whereas, According to the New York State Department of Health (DOH), there were a total of 8,049,234 emergency department (ED) visits in New York State in 2014; and Whereas, According to DOH, 3,853,470 ED visits occurred in New York City in 2014; and Whereas, According to DOH, the adjusted rate of ED visits for New York City between 2012-2014 was 4,557.8 per 10,000 people; and Whereas, According to ProPublica, New Yorkers wait on average 20 minutes before seeing a doctor in an ED, yet wait times can vary widely by hospital and by day and time; and Whereas, According to ProPublica, some hospitals in the City have higher than average wait times, including Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, which had an average wait time of one hour and 53 minutes; and Whereas, According to the American College of Emergency Physicians, long wait times can have dangerous effects on patients, such as increased risk of death and increased length of stay for those who end up admitted to the hospital; and Whereas, According to the Journal of Emergency Medicine, some patients experiencing long wait times decide to leave the ED without being seen, which can lead to life threatening issues; and Whereas, According to the American College of Emergency Physicians, advertising estimated ED wait times can offer advantages for ED staff, hospitals, and patients; and Whereas, Patients with less urgent complaints would have the ability to select EDs with shorter wait times or to defer care until wait times improve if their conditions allow; and Whereas, According to the Journal of Emergency Medicine, one study showed that 63 percent of patients would prefer to visit an ED with a wait time tracker, while only 21 percent were against the idea of a wait time tracker; and Whereas, Senate Bill S. 2315, sponsored by Senator Marisol Alcantara, would require all EDs to have a physical wait-time clock and for the ED wait times to be available online; and Whereas, In addition to wait time clocks, EDs should display the wait times at nearby EDs, allowing patients to make the decision to visit a neighboring ED with a shorter wait time, and all wait time information should be provided to local Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs); and Whereas, In addition to publishing wait times online, New York City should also allow wait times to be accessed via 311; and Resolved, The Council of the City of New York calls on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation requiring hospital emergency departments to improve their services to better inform patients of their potential wait time and other care options. EB LS 8660 12/04/2018