357. Pediatric mental health ER visits increasing significantly
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
A new study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics shows that pediatric mental health emergency room visits are increasing rapidly across the country. Researchers at the University of Southern California and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles studied ER visits for over 200,000 children at 38 children’s hospitals in the U.S. They observed that pediatric mental health ER visits increased 8 percent every year between 2015 and 2020, while ER visits for all other problems increased by only 1.5 percent per year. Mental health revisits to the ER increased by more than 6 percent annually. The authors believe we need changes at the hospital and overall healthcare system level to reduce the increasing burden on emergency departments from children with mental health issues as well as to better care for the health of kids across the country.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
