Each year, one in five Americans visit the emergency department (ED) at least once  – and these costly ED visits are on the rise. Are they a symptom of a larger issue in our health care system? Many of emergency visits are preventable – this may be a symptom for inefficient care management, inadequate patient access, or lack of patient knowledge. As hospitals and payers transition into value-based care, interpreting ED visits may be a symptom of a larger problem.