Articles: emergency-medical-services.
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This study was conducted to determine whether hospital emergency department (ED) use has been affected by the presence of freestanding emergency centers (FECs) in hospitals' service areas. A sample of FECs was drawn and hospitals in their service areas identified. ED visits to those hospitals from 1970 to 1980 were compared with those of a comparison group of hospitals not studied. ⋯ Because of the relative newness of FEC development, future studies of this type should be conducted. This study could not answer the question of whether FECs caused the growth of hospital ED visits to slow. It did not attempt to measure the impact FECs have on private medical practices or determine whether FECs attract currently underserved patient groups.