Improving pediatric hematology/oncology care in the emergency department

Jill C Beck1

  • 1University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE.

Insights

Parents and physicians agree that providing pediatric hematology/oncology patients with critical medical information, like history and contact details, can improve emergency department (ED) visits.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • Pediatric hematology/oncology patients often require emergency department (ED) care for serious conditions.
  • A significant challenge during these visits is the lack of readily available, patient-specific medical information.
  • This information gap can lead to suboptimal care for these complex patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify key information needs for improving the care of pediatric hematology/oncology patients in the ED.
  • To assess the perspectives of both parents and physicians regarding information accessibility during ED visits.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional survey was administered to parents of pediatric hematology/oncology patients.
  • A separate survey was conducted among emergency department (ED) physicians serving these patients.

Main Results:

  • While ED physicians felt confident with general pediatric care, confidence decreased when treating pediatric hematology/oncology patients.
  • Both physicians and parents identified crucial information for ED visits, including written medical history, medication lists, and on-call specialist contact information.
  • Specific details like appropriate needle size for port access were also highlighted as valuable.

Conclusions:

  • Parents reported satisfaction with current ED care.
  • Both parents and physicians believe that having specific additional information readily available would significantly enhance the effectiveness of ED care for pediatric hematology/oncology patients.
Abstract

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