Performing a metabolic test at the point of care in an emergency department decreased length of stay compared to performing the test in a central laboratory, according to a study in Annals of Emergency Medicine.
Researchers studied ED length of stay at a large, academic, urban medical center. They conducted a trial among more than 10,000 nonemergent ED patients aged 15 years and older whose physicians ordered a comprehensive metabolic panel.
Among all patients, point-of-care testing reduced length of stay by 22 minutes compared with central laboratory testing.
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Researchers studied ED length of stay at a large, academic, urban medical center. They conducted a trial among more than 10,000 nonemergent ED patients aged 15 years and older whose physicians ordered a comprehensive metabolic panel.
Among all patients, point-of-care testing reduced length of stay by 22 minutes compared with central laboratory testing.
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Study: Pediatric ED Return Visits Averaged 2.7% Annually From 2001-2007