Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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Observational Study
A 0h/1h protocol for safe early discharge of chest pain patients.
Guidelines recommend a 0-hour/1-hour high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) diagnostic strategy in acute chest pain patients. There are, however, little data on the performance of this strategy when combined with clinical risk stratification. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of an accelerated diagnostic protocol (ADP) using the 0-hour/1-hour hs-cTnT strategy together with an adapted Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) score and electrocardiogram (ECG) for ruling out major adverse cardiac events (MACE) within 30 days. ⋯ An ADP using the guideline recommended 0-hour/1-hour hs-cTnT strategy rapidly identified patients with a very low risk of 30-day MACE including UA where no further cardiac testing would be needed. This could potentially allow safe early discharge of about 40% of ED chest pain patients.
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Review
A Systematic Review of the Impact of Physician Implicit Racial Bias on Clinical Decision Making.
Disparities in diagnosis and treatment of racial minorities exist in the emergency department (ED). A better understanding of how physician implicit (unconscious) bias contributes to these disparities may help identify ways to eliminate such racial disparities. The objective of this systematic review was to examine and summarize the evidence on the association between physician implicit racial bias and clinical decision making. ⋯ The current literature indicates that although many physicians, regardless of specialty, demonstrate an implicit preference for white people, this bias does not appear to impact their clinical decision making. Further studies on the impact of implicit racial bias on racial disparities in ED treatment are needed.
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Diagnostic tests are used frequently in the emergency department (ED) to guide clinical decision making and, hence, influence clinical outcomes. The Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) criteria were developed to ensure that diagnostic test studies are performed and reported to best inform clinical decision making in the ED. ⋯ Just over half of STARD criteria are reported in more than 80% studies. As poorly reported studies may negatively impact their clinical usefulness, it is essential that studies of diagnostic test accuracy be performed and reported adequately. Future studies should assess whether studies have improved compliance with the STARD 2015 criteria amendment.
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Observational Study
Impact of Hospital "Best Practice" Mandates on Prescription Opioid Dispensing after an Emergency Department Visit.
Washington State mandated seven hospital "best practices" in July 2012, several of which may affect emergency department (ED) opioid prescribing and provide a policy template for addressing the opioid prescription epidemic. We tested the hypothesis that the mandates would reduce opioid dispensing after an ED visit. We further assessed for a selective effect in patients with prior risky or chronic opioid use. ⋯ Washington State best practice mandates were associated with small but nonselective reductions in opioid prescribing rates. States should focus on alternative policies to further reduce opioid dispensing in subgroups of high-risk and chronic users.
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Evidence suggests that, despite routine engagement with the health system, pregnant women commonly seek emergency care. The objectives of this study were to examine the association between maternal comorbidities and emergency department (ED) use among a national sample of commercially insured pregnant women. ⋯ Among pregnant women, comorbidity burden was associated with more ED utilization. Efforts to reduce acute unscheduled care and improve care coordination during pregnancy should target interventions to patient comorbidity.