Taking the test to the patient: A new prescription for emergency department gridlock
A commentary in Heart highlights the persistent crisis of overcrowding in UK emergency departments, where chest pain is the most common medical presentation. The paradox is that while most patients do not have an acute coronary syndrome, they still face long waits. The piece argues for a more effective implementation of accelerated diagnostic pathways, which are evidence-based but underused, suggesting that moving assessment out of the hospital could be key to breaking the gridlock and improving patient flow.
Why it might matter to you:
This analysis directly addresses a core challenge in acute care: efficiently managing high-volume, low-risk presentations without compromising safety. For a clinician in training, understanding the systemic bottlenecks and potential solutions for conditions like chest pain is critical for both patient safety and effective departmental operation. It underscores the gap between established evidence and real-world practice, a key tension in evidence-based medicine.
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