Emergency Department Crowding Reported at Nearly Half of U.S. Hospitals

A report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics found that between 40% and 50% of hospitals in the United States face overcrowded emergency department conditions. The center's analysis also shows that about two-thirds of emergency departments in metropolitan areas experience crowding at some point.

This information was gathered and published by the CDC as part of its ongoing analysis of U.S. health data. The report did not specify the causes of the crowding, nor did it offer potential remedies. The aim was solely to publish the statistics related to crowding in hospital emergency departments around the country.