Resource Utilization During Low-Acuity Pediatric Emergency Department Visits.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Healthcare Resource Utilization
• Comparative Health Services Research

Background:

• Low-acuity visits constitute a significant portion of pediatric emergency department (ED) encounters.
• Understanding testing and treatment patterns in these visits is crucial for optimizing care and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the rates of diagnostic testing and therapeutic interventions for low-acuity pediatric visits in US emergency departments.
• To compare the patterns of testing and treatment between general emergency departments and pediatric-specific emergency departments.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study analyzed data from nonfederal US EDs between 2008 and 2017.
• Included pediatric visits with triage acuity levels 4 or 5.
• Compared testing and treatment proportions between general and pediatric EDs using chi-squared tests.

Main Results:

• Low-acuity visits accounted for 57.2% of all pediatric ED visits.
• Diagnostic testing occurred in 47.1% and medication administration in 69.6% of these visits.
• General EDs utilized more radiographs, complete blood counts, electrolytes, glucose tests, and antibiotics, while pediatric EDs used more ultrasound.

Conclusions:

• More than half of pediatric ED visits are low acuity, with substantial diagnostic testing and treatment.
• Differences in testing and treatment modalities exist between general and pediatric EDs.
• Overall resource utilization is high across both settings, suggesting potential for reduction.