Fla. ERs Use Billboards To Drive Business

[VentMedic]

http://www.emsresponder.com/article/article.jsp?id=11926&siteSection=1

AVENTURA, Fla. --

An unexpected industry is taking over roadside billboards.

"Emergency room waiting times just 4 minutes at Aventura Hospital," reads a billboard that hovers over U.S. 1 in Aventura.


"The number on the billboard is refreshed every 30 minutes, so it is quite accurate," Gabriel Perez told Local 10's Jonathan Vigliotti.

Perez created the technology that calculates the wait time and beams it electronically to the road.

"The program calculates from the moment a patient signs in at the hospital to when the doctor visits him in the room," Perez said.

Skylar, who works in the emergency room at Aventura Hospital, said in the year since the billboard has been up, ER visits have increased by 25 percent.

South Florida doctors said in today's growing medical market, patients have many hospital options.

"A lot of hospitals are trying to increase patient volume for themselves," said Mount Sinai Dr. David Lang.

 

[lightsandsirens5]

I wonder what the timer says when the wait is four hours? Or maybe it just goes blank......