Journal of hospital medicine : an official publication of the Society of Hospital Medicine
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Review Meta Analysis
Prevalence of misdiagnosis of cellulitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
There is no gold standard test to accurately identify patients with cellulitis and therefore misdiagnosis is common. Using the clinical impression of a dermatology or an infectious disease specialist as a reference standard, we sought to determine the prevalence of misdiagnosis of cellulitis among nonspecialist physicians. ⋯ Cellulitis is commonly misdiagnosed among inpatients, leading to unnecessary hospital admissions and antibiotic overuse. Most alternative diagnoses are noninfectious. Continuing medical education among general practitioners and urgent care providers will likely reduce cellulitis misdiagnoses.
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Suboptimal transitions from the emergency department (ED) to ambulatory settings contribute to poor clinical outcomes and unnecessary nonurgent ED utilization. Care transition clinics (CTCs) are a potential solution by providing ED follow-up and facilitating the bridge to longer-term primary care. ⋯ Between March 2021 and March 2022, 373 patients were referred to the CTC totaling 405 appointments. Half (53%) of appointments were completed with a median follow-up time of 4 days (IQR = [2, 7]). The most common care types provided were wound care (44%) and clinical problem management (33%), with wound care appointments more likely to be completed compared with clinical appointments (OR = 1.7, CI = [1.1, 2.8], p = .03). Patients who completed their CTC appointment were 50% less likely to return to the ED in 30 days compared with those who did not complete their appointment (OR = 0.51, CI = [0.27, 0.98], p < .05). No effect was seen for CTC appointment completion on hospital readmission. Transition clinics are a viable method to provide timely access to follow-up for patients discharged from the ED and may help reduce excess ED use for ambulatory care needs.