America's Emergency Care Environment Report Card: How Did We Do?

Have you ever been to an ER? Chances are that you will at some point in your lifetime... at least once.

The new comprehensive report card by The American College of Emergency Physicians looks at the current state of America’s emergency care environment and the support it is getting from state and national policies.

ACEP puts this regular report card out every few years. Categories graded include:

• Access to care
• Quality and patient safety
• Medical liability environment
• Public health and injury prevention
• Disaster preparedness

Budget cuts, a rise in hospital closings (meaning longer wait times, subsequently causing a strain on other hospitals), fewer and fewer psychiatric facilities to help our Nation's mentally ill all led to the Nation's overall grade this year... a D+.

Special guest, Dr. Angela Gardner, joins Dr. Leigh to discuss the results, as well as what this means for the future of emergency room care.

To view the results and see where your state rates, as well as what you can do, go to www.emreportcard.org.