Washington, DC, Maryland hospitals often divert ambulances

Washington Post, June 1, 2009

Hospitals in the Washington, DC, and Maryland must frequently divert ambulances carrying all but the most critically ill and injured patients because of emergency room overcrowding. The trend forces many less-critical patients to travel farther for care, increasing costs and potentially causing dangerous delays. Healthcare analysts say ambulance diversions in the region illustrate a national problem that has led some states to ban the practice.