title: Retrospective observational study of patients who present to Australian rural emergency departments with undifferentiated chest pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who present to Australian rural emergency departments (EDs) with chest pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rural EDs in Queensland, Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred thirty-seven consecutive adult patients with undifferentiated chest pain who presented between 1 September 2013 and 30 November 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  Service indicators, discharge diagnoses and disposition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Presentations for undifferentiated chest pain represented 3.5% of all patient presentations during the sampling period. The mean age of patients was 48 years and 54% were male. Overall, 92% of patients left the ED within the 4-hour NEAT target. The majority of presentations were related to cardiac concerns (39%), followed by non-cardiac chest pain (17%), musculoskeletal (15%) and respiratory (10%) conditions. More than half of these patients were discharged at the completion of the ED service (52.8%), 40.6% were admitted, 3.3% left at own risk, 2.4% did not wait and less than 1% of patients required transfer to another hospital directly from the ED.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has provided information on the characteristics and processes of care for patients presenting to Australian rural EDs with undifferentiated chest pain that will inform service planning and further research to evaluate the effectiveness of care for these patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology, Stanthorpe, Queensland, Australia; Stanthorpe Health Services, Emergency Department, Stanthorpe, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.forename: Glenn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: clinical characteristic; demographic; emergency treatment; quality of care; rural health service