Freakonomics, M.D.

68. The E.R. Doctor’s Dilemma

Jan 13, 2023
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

ER Doctor's Experience

  • Ziat Obermeyer, an emergency physician, enjoys the variety of cases in the ER.
  • He finds the decisions about patient hospitalization incredibly stressful.
INSIGHT

Mortality Rate After Discharge

  • A 2017 study revealed that 0.1% of Medicare patients deemed healthy died a week after ER discharge.
  • This equates to 10,000 people annually, raising concerns about potential misdiagnosis.
INSIGHT

Hospital Admission Rates and Mortality

  • Hospitals with lower admission rates saw higher near-term mortality in discharged patients.
  • This suggests potential issues with triage effectiveness in these hospitals.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app