rgency medical care when their health conditions have degenerated to the point where such conditions can no longer be ignored (Weil, 1994, pp. 5-15).
The important outcomes of the combination of delaying needed health care services and then obtaining those services through a hospital emergency department relate to patient health, health care costs, and the efficient functioning of the health care system. First, the health of individuals exhibiting such behaviors is compromised (Franks, Clancy, Gold, and Nutting, 1993, pp. 1295-1299). Second, the costs for the health care services provided are far higher than they otherwise would have been (Lee, 1993, p. 2784). Third, hospital emergency departments are overwhelmed with
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