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Investigating at-home outcomes will improve paediatric emergency care
  1. Amy L Drendel
  1. Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
  1. Correspondence to Dr Amy L Drendel, Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; adrendel{at}mcw.edu

https://doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2024-214153

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    Emergency care for children has evolved over the past 50 years, focusing on optimising their evaluation and treatment in EDs. Research focusing on the unique needs of children and their families has improved patient outcomes in the ED, outpatient and inpatient settings.

    In the ED setting, research on improving sedation and procedural care for paediatric patients has emphasised medication efficacy and safety, standardised protocols, incorporating non-pharmacological interventions and reducing acute adverse events. However, little research has been done on optimising patient outcomes after ED discharge. In fact, the vast majority of children are discharged home after receiving ED care, but there are very few investigations of patient outcomes in the at-home setting to ensure optimal post-ED patient outcomes. The study by Martin and colleagues1 highlights the frequency of poor outcomes following ED discharge. The high rate of maladaptive behavioural changes they observed underscores the urgent need to investigate at-home …

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    Footnotes

    • Handling editor Shammi L Ramlakhan

    • Contributors AD is the only contributor for this manuscript requested previously from the editor and is responsible for the overall content as the guarantor.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.

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