Use of a 90-Minute Protocol to Evaluate Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department With Chest Pain

Abstract

Frustration with emergency department wait times may contribute to patient delays in seeking care for subsequent episodes of chest pain and lower patient satisfaction ratings. In response to patient feedback and the dissemination of new knowledge, the existing emergency chest pain protocol was updated to include point-of-care laboratory testing and evaluation at baseline and 90 minutes. A case study was utilized to illustrate implementation of this protocol in the management of a patient presenting to the emergency department with chest pain.