Characteristics of Emergency Department Patients Referred to an Undiagnosed Mass Clinic

The emergency department (ED) serves as an entry point to the healthcare system for many patients, and the increased use of advanced imaging has resulted in identification of masses of unclear significance. We describe patients presenting to an ED who were referred to an undiagnosed mass clinic (UMC).

We performed a retrospective observational cohort study of patients ≥16 years of age presenting to Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, from October 31, 2018-March 31, 2023, who were referred to the UMC.

There were 116 patients referred to the UMC with a median of 3.5 days from ED encounter to clinic date and a median of 14.5 days from ED encounter to biopsy. Using an analytic tool in the electronic health record, we estimated that of 16,872 patients, 116 (0.69%) Mayo Clinic Florida (MCF) ED patients ≥18 years of age who received computed tomography and were discharged from the ED were referred to the UMC. Ultimately, 35 of 65 patients (53.8%) seen in the UMC received a cancer diagnosis.

Our study shows a viable care path from ED encounter to undiagnosed mass clinic. Further research is needed to ensure timely transitions of care for patients who are uninsured or out of network.