Preventing Emergency Department Visits: Office Management of Urgent Patient Presentations

PrevED is a resource created in collaboration with the Emergency Department to help FPs manage urgent patient cases directly in their offices, reducing ED visits. Developed from an idea proposed by FPs, PrevED aims to empower FPs and enhance patient care in urgent situations. Find the full PDF file here.

Recommendations and resources for managing patients in the office that otherwise might go to the Emergency Department (ED):

 

Abnormal Vital Signs/Labs

1.  Asymptomatic Hypertension

2.  Supratherapeutic INR

3.  Hyperkalemia

4.  Critical Anemia

5.  Acute Renal Failure

6.  Anaphylaxis

 

Head/Neck

7.  Acute Ocular Presentation

8.  Epistaxis

9.  Nasal Foreign Body

10. Otic Foreign Body

 

Chest/Abdominal

11. Nausea

12. Cough

13. Suspected PE

14. New/Unstable Atrial Fibrillation

 

MSK/Extremities

15. Painful Subungual Hematoma

16. Suspected DVT

 

Genito-Urinary

17. Foley Catheter Removal

 

Pregnancy

18. First Trimester Vaginal Bleeding in Pregnancy

19. Second and Third Trimester Pregnancy Complications

 

Pediatrics

20. Nursemaid’s Elbow (radial head dislocation)

21. Pediatric Wheeze

22. Pediatric Head Injury (<24H after incident)

23. Pediatric Stridor (inspiratory upper airway sounds)

24. Pediatric Dehydration (typically due to gastroenteritis)

 

Mental Health

25. Situational Crisis

 

IV Treatment

26. IV Treatment

 

Logistics

27. Outpatient Lab

28. Urgent Same-Day LGH CT and US Referral

29. Routine Outpatient Imaging (XR, US, CT, MRI)