The New England journal of medicine
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Many visits to emergency departments are for minor medical problems, and these visits are criticized as being expensive and economically inefficient. This study examines the marginal costs (the extra costs for an additional visit) of emergency department visits. ⋯ The true costs of nonurgent care in the emergency department are relatively low. The potential savings from a diversion of nonurgent visits to private physicians' offices may therefore be much less than is widely believed.