The study showed that EDs that treat the highest number of patients with chest pain have the best outcomes in Ontario. The ICES implies that these results have important policy implications. It explains regionalization of care is possible and that there should consideration to evaluate whether lessons of the high-volume centers can be transferred to lower volume centres to achieve the best outcomes. The researchers also found that patients discharged from higher volume emergency departments had higher rates of cardiologist consultations, cardiac medication use, and cardiac testing within 30 days of their ED assessment. On the other hand, investigators found there was an optimal threshold (estimated that to be 1,400 chest pain patients per year) after which increased volume didn’t lead to changes in outcomes.
NBHC Care Experience