The American journal of emergency medicine
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Observational Study
Diagnosis and disposition are changed when board-certified emergency physicians use CT for non-traumatic abdominal pain.
To determine the effect of abdominal computed tomographic (CT) scan results on diagnosis and disposition of patients with non-traumatic abdominal pain who were evaluated by board-certified emergency physicians (EPs). ⋯ Abdominal CT use by board certified EPs for nontraumatic abdominal pain changed diagnosis and disposition, with more sent home in lieu of admission. Diagnostic accuracy did not appear to be related to years of clinical experience.
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The objectives of this study are to describe an emergency department (ED) adult population with the chief complaint of mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substance use and to investigate sex- and age-related differences. ⋯ Mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substance use account for 1.3% of ED visits. Older people should be screened for chronic alcohol consumption. Our findings underscore the opportunity provided by the ED for screening and brief intervention in drug- and alcohol-related problems.