Prince George's County ER task force cites rising emergency volumes, insurer and data gaps as barriers to relief

Prince George's County ER Task Force members reviewed a near-final draft report on emergency department wait times and agreed to press hospital systems and payers for additional data and feedback.

The draft presented to the group said emergency-department volumes in the county rose 36.5% between 2020 and 2024, a trend the report linked to inadequate emergency-room treatment space, limited inpatient beds and shortages of primary and post-acute care that slow patient throughput. "The volume, for emergency room wait rooms has increased by 36.5%, 36.5%," Anya Makarova, senior adviser to the Prince George's County Council sitting as the board of health, told the task force while summarizing the analysis.

Why it matters: Task force members said the county lacks a complete picture because available statewide data exclude some freestanding urgent-care centers and do not include District of Columbia or Virginia hospital records. That gap complicates efforts to design local solutions and to quantify how many county residents seek care outside Prince George's County.

Key findings and data limitations The draft uses Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) data for inpatient and outpatient measures. Makarova said HSCRC-supplied…