Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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Observational Study
Association Between Advanced Image Ordered in the Emergency Department on Subsequent Imaging for Abdominal Pain Patients.
Abdominal pain is associated with high rates of emergency department (ED) imaging utilization and revisits. While imaging often improves diagnosis, a better understanding is needed on when the decision to image is justified and how it influences subsequent resource utilization and outcomes for patients in the ED presenting with abdominal pain. We evaluated the association between advanced ED imaging on subsequent outpatient imaging and on revisits among abdominal pain patients discharged from the ED. ⋯ Abdominal imaging in the ED was associated with significantly lower imaging utilization after discharge and 30-day revisit rates, suggesting that imaging in the ED may replace downstream outpatient imaging.
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There are disparities in pain management for children presenting to the emergency department (ED) according to their racial and ethnic backgrounds. It is not known if there are differences in the treatment of pain associated with pediatric migraines by race, ethnicity, and language for care (REaL). ⋯ These data align with previous studies on pain management disparities and highlight another area where we must improve equity for patients in the ED.