Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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Comparative Study
The influence of race and gender on time to initial electrocardiogram for patients with chest pain.
To determine whether race or gender affected time to initial electrocardiogram (ECG) for patients who presented to an emergency department with chest pain. ⋯ The first screening test for acute coronary syndrome, the ECG, took longer to obtain for nonwhite patients, regardless of final diagnosis. This was unfortunately consistent with the literature that shows racial disparities in all aspects of emergent cardiac care. For women, the overall delay in ECG time can be explained by delays for those women with noncardiac chest pain.
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Patients leaving the emergency department (ED) without being seen (LWBS) by a physician have become a growing concern in overcrowded EDs. The purpose of this study was to determine the acuity level, reasons, and outcomes of LWBS cases. ⋯ The most common reason for LWBS is impatience during peak ED periods. Many of these patients seek medical care within one week. Complications occurred rarely; however, "high-risk" patients who leave without being seen do experience adverse health outcomes. Further research is required to examine ways to reduce LWBS cases.