State officials and major health care industry groups have agreed to a 90-day approach to address severe emergency department capacity challenges by redirecting certain patients in eastern Massachusetts to urgent care providers.
The Executive Office of Health and Human Services and the Department of Insurance issued a memo Wednesday outlining how insurers and urgent care providers have agreed to temporary plans to help increase capacity in hospital emergency departments. Officials said the plan is aimed in part at managing the "typically high" volume of emergency room visits in the summertime.
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The approach is designed to redirect only patients who are not in need of emergency-level care from July 3 through Oct. 1.
"We are appreciative of everyone who has come together to work on this solution. It is the result of a collaborative effort across state government, urgent care providers and insurance companies to find the most effective ways to serve patients in Massachusetts," Executive Office of Health and Human Services spokesperson Olivia James said in a statement.
The 90-day program has been embraced by health plans and urgent care providers represented by the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, Steward Health, Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the Mass. Urgent Care Association.
"Thank you for your collective efforts during these challenging times to support our healthcare system provide the right care at the right site for Massachusetts residents. Recognizing there is not a single answer to ease this situation, we are hopeful that this strategy will help reduce unnecessary emergency department crowding in the months ahead. We are grateful for your continued support," Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh and state public health, insurance, and MassHealth officials wrote in a memo dated Wednesday.
