Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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It is unclear whether referral for cardiac noninvasive testing (NIT) following emergency department (ED) chest pain encounters improves short-term outcomes. ⋯ Higher referral intensity for 72-h NIT was associated with higher risk of coronary revascularization but no difference in adverse events within 60 days. These findings further call into question the urgency of NIT among ED patients without objective evidence of myocardial injury.
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Disparities in health care quality frequently focus on underuse. We evaluated racial/ethnic differences in low-value services delivered in the pediatric emergency department (ED). ⋯ NHW patients more frequently receive low-value imaging while NHB patients more frequently receive low-value medications for bronchiolitis. Our study demonstrates the differences in care across race and ethnicity extend to many services, including those of low value. These findings highlight the importance of greater understanding of the complex interaction of race and ethnicity with clinical practice.