Comparing Practice Patterns Between Pediatric and General Emergency Medicine Physicians: A Scoping Review.

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Pediatrics
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Acutely ill infants and children are treated by pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians or general emergency medicine-trained physicians (GEDPs).
• Understanding practice pattern differences is crucial for optimizing pediatric emergency care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of published literature comparing care for pediatric patients provided by PEM-trained physicians versus GEDPs.
• To identify research gaps in the comparison of these two groups of physicians.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was performed in two main steps, including concept modification and article selection based on inclusion criteria.
• Two independent reviewers assessed study eligibility and quality, with data abstraction and author contact for missing information.

Main Results:

• The search identified 3137 titles and abstracts, with 20 articles reporting 19 studies included in the final analysis.
• Studies covered various conditions including fever, croup, bronchiolitis, asthma, urticaria, febrile seizures, and diabetic ketoacidosis.
• Research was categorized into type of care, diagnostic studies, medication administration, and process of care.

Conclusions:

• The review identified a lack of robust studies and significant heterogeneity in the literature comparing practice patterns of PEM-trained physicians and GEDPs.
• A systematic approach for reviewing literature on topics with unclear comparative terms across studies was outlined.