Following a trend in healthcare delivery, Froedtert Health in Milwaukee wants to convert an urgent care clinic to a free-standing emergency department, according to an article on the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel website.
With the emergency department, Froedtert will be able to charge patients rates two to three times higher than its urgent care clinic receives.
The proposed emergency department also could enable the health system to feed patients to Froedtert Hospital who might otherwise go to competing hospitals, the article said.
Free-standing emergency departments are staffed by emergency physicians and nurses and operate 24 hours a day. They can handle most emergencies and stabilize patients who need to be transferred to a hospital.
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