Researchers conducted an observational study on a sample of more than 300 ED patients at an urban academic hospital with 60,000 annual visits. Patients were eligible for the study if they were triaged to the waiting area with any of the following criteria:
• Chest pain or shortness of breath in patients older than 40 years.
• Possible infection in the presence of two or more systemic inflammatory response system criteria in patients older than 18 years.
• Patients over 65 years old with non-traumatic complaints.
The patients received point-of-care laboratory testing. A survey found the point-of-care results were reported to be helpful in 56 percent of patients. The test results changed the triage level in 15 percent of patients and led to 6 percent of patients being brought back for rapid physician evaluation.
The authors concluded point-of-care testing at triage is a useful adjunct in the triage of patients with high-risk ED complaints.
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