More Anomalies...

   Data and anecdotal material suggest more health care consumers are relying on Emergency Rooms versus private physicians for their health care needs.
   Further, a comparison of Broward's two tax suppported hospital systems suggests the North Broward Hospital District is using tax dollars to compensate for its low patient charges and reimbursement levels -- and thus engaging in unfair competition with private hospitals in its market area.
   Which is good news for a savvy health care consumer.
   But maybe bad news for consumers forced to seek care from hospitals other than those operated by Broward Health. 

Broward Health                          2008             2014
  tax suppported

Broward Medical

Adjusted Admissions               41,332       44,077
Charge per Adj. Admission    $39,204      $39,900 
ER Visits                                 75,499        91,025
Charge per ER Visit               $2,468       $2,982
Coral Springs

Adjusted Admissions               21,397        25,309
Charge per Adj. Admission     $26,129      $25,258            
ER Visits                                 36,153        53,395
Charge per ER Visit               $3,296        $3,583
Imperial Point
Adjusted Admissions                14,690       17,954
Charge per Adj. Admission      $24,023     $23,635
ER Visits                                  18,391        25,797
Charge per ER Visit                $2,281       $2,979

North Broward 

Adjusted Admissions                 21,575       21,000
Charge per Adj. Admission      $36,216      $45,525

ER Visits                                    38,848       43,451
Charge per ER Visit                  $2,488        $3,521

Memorial Healthcare                 2008                2014
tax supported                                                                                     Memorial Miramar
Adjusted Admissions                18,121          18,509
Charge per Adj. Admission      $23,541        $41,502            
ER Visits                                   23,573          27,985
Charge per ER Visit                 $2,784          $4,815  
Memorial Pembroke
Adjusted Admissions                 14,636          12,560
Charge per Adj. Admission       $31,346        $55,842          
ER Visits                                    23,105          26,365
Charge per ER Visit                  $2,304          $5,237  

Memorial Regional
Adjusted Admissions                 66,415           61,838
Charge per Adj. Admission      $35,766         $63,507       
ER Visits                                   85,102           102,385
Charge per ER Visit                 $2,069           $3,914   

Memorial West

Adjusted Admissions                 40,207           40,505
Charge per Adj. Admission      $28,453         $54,973          
ER Visits                                   39,850           50,162
Charge per ER Visit                 $2,344           $4,969   

Private Hospitals                            2008                  2014
Cleveland Clinic non profit
 Adjusted Admissions                  18,048         19,282
Charge per Adj. Admission         $33,540      $51,317           
ER Visits                                     15,445          21,059
Charge per ER Visit                   $2,203        $5,550        

Holy Cross non profit
Adjusted Admissions                   29,696         30,124
Charge per Adj. Admission         $49,797      $47,079        
ER Visits                                      26,710         39,168
Charge per ER Visit                    $2,520         $4,104       
Northwest   for profit
Adjusted Admissions                   17,950          21,095
Charge per Adj. Admission         $39,110       $69,049         

ER Visits                                      23,381         35,819
Charge per ER Visit                    $3,301         $6,864   
Plantation   for profit
Adjusted Admissions                   13,387           41,866*
Charge per Adj. Admission         $41,623         $63,389   
ER Visits                                      30,582          51,882*
Charge per ER Visit                     $3,334          $5,827 

University   for profit
Adjusted Admissions                    14,129          17,435
Charge per Adj. Admission          $32,251       $49,166      
ER Visits                                       17,594         26,456
Charge per ER Visit                     $4,056         $7,370
Westside   for profit
Adjusted Admissions                    16,906         18,744
Charge per Adj. Admission          $45,907       $71,005        

ER Visits                                       24,679         32,479
Charge per ER Visit                     $3,037         $7,370      

*Plantation data combined with Mercy in Miami-Dade County  Adjusted Admission - Standard Health Care industry baseline based on a formula that enables the comparison of one hospital or hospital group to another.