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Mike Mitka

JAMA. 2008;299(6):625.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Many physician-owned specialty hospitals are poorly equipped to handle emergency situations, said leaders of the Senate Finance Committee. Sen Max Baucus (D, Mont) and Sen Chuck Grassley (R, Iowa) made their comments following the January 11 release of a study they requested from the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General (http://www.senate.gov/˜finance/press/Gpress/2008/prg011008a.pdf).

Sen Max Baucus (D, Mont) and colleagues are questioning the ability of physician-owned specialty hospitals to provide emergency care. (Photo credit: US Senate Photography)

The report found that while 55% of the 109 specialty hospitals across the nation that were assessed have emergency departments (EDs), more than half of these have only 1 ED bed. In addition, only 28% of the specialty hospitals have a physician present at all times (45% of those with EDs and 8% of facilities without EDs). The report also found that 34% of the reviewed hospitals . . . [Full Text of this Article]