Dr. Channa said that policy makers should take action to redirect care of non-emergent eye conditions from emergency departments to eye clinics or urgent care centers.
Several approaches can be used to achieve this goal, she noted, including the use of triage personnel. Public education on which signs and symptoms call for a trip to the emergency department versus treatment at a local urgent care clinic or eye doctor’s office would also help, she said.
“There is a dearth of research in this area,” Dr. Channa said. “Our study has highlighted the problem. Now measures need to be taken on a policy level to determine the best possible solutions.”
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One Response to “Half of Eye-Related Emergency Department Visits in the U.S. Non-Emergent”
March 7, 2016
Thomas BenzoniWhile the study by Dr. Channa in JAMA Ophthalmology is interesting, it is not news.
It is also demonstrating something other than the conclusion.
First, cognitive biases: you can’t use the conclusion (diagnosis reached by someone trained and experienced in EM) to say what should have been done with this diagnosis before the diagnosis was reached.
Second, the authors did a great job noting that people with lower financial means have trouble accessing care; we are proud to care for these folks.
Third, it would be helpful to discuss what treatments were given, by site of service, for diagnoses reached. E.g., if viral diseases are treated without antibacterial meds in the ER and with antibacterial meds in other sites, the improved quality of care is worthwhile. On the other hand, provision of antibacterial treatments that are unnecessary reinforce care-seeking behavior when such behavior cannot help and does hurt.
Finally, given that people live 24 hours/day, it would be useful to discuss care availability. Many folks cannot get away or get seen in a timely fashion when it is convenient for the care system.