J Emerg Med
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Telephoned, Texted, or Typed Out: A Randomized Trial of Physician-Patient Communication After Emergency Department Discharge.
Novel means of emergency department (ED) post-discharge communication-telephone callbacks and text messages-are increasingly being utilized to facilitate patient-oriented outcomes, such as ED revisits, patient adherence, and satisfaction. ⋯ Patients who are contacted for ED follow-up by phone and text, though perhaps not more satisfied, may tend to revisit the ED and contact their PMD or specialty physician less often than patients receiving standard written discharge instructions. However, this pilot study is underpowered, so larger randomized studies are needed to confirm.
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Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a novel class of drugs used in cancer immunotherapy that are becoming more commonly used among advanced-stage cancers. Unfortunately, these therapies are sometimes associated with often subtle, potentially fatal immune-related adverse events (irAEs). ⋯ With the increasing success and popularity of ICIs, emergency physicians will inevitably encounter increasing numbers of patients on these medications as well as the associated side effects. It is important that emergency physicians become aware of these irAEs and improve the detection of these processes to prevent inappropriate discharges, emergency department revisits, and downstream complications.