The latest CDC report on Ambulatory Health Care Data shows a 3 million increase in ED visits in 2002 over the previous year.  There were a total of 110 million ED visits in 2002.  Wheew! [via ACEP]

On a lighter note, the ACEP has two handy brochures to help explain to your ED patients about overcrowding and long waits.  They blame downstream bottlenecks that cause them to have to board patients.  There are even dark suggestions to the reader that they could be there overnight or even a couple of days!