Chest pain patients = 12 percent of ED patients at one AMC

Three hospitals with chest pain units are profiled in this news article.  Shands Critical Care Center (Gainesville, FL), at the University of Florida sees 75,000 ED patients annually, of which 9,000 (12 percent) present with chest pain.  Previously, low-risk and moderate-risk chest pain patients were admitted to the hospital for observation.  In late summer 2011, Shands opened an 8-bed chest pain unit in the main emergency department.  The unit immediately resulted in a decrease in the number of  observation admissions — to about 10 percent of the low to moderate risk patients seen in the chest pain unit.  Two other hospitals are also profiled: Rhode Island Hospital and Palmetto Health Richland (Columbia, SC).

Source: Chest pain units help EDs streamline care, boost throughput for low- to moderate-risk patients.  ED Management;23(11):125-127, Nov. 2011.  Click here for subscription information: http://www.ahcmedia.com/public/products/ED-Management.html  Posted by AHA Resource Center, (312) 422-2050), rc@aha.org