The management of patients with chronic spinal cord injury in emergency departments: Utilization and a knowledge survey of emergency medicine residents

Abstract

Persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) suffer from a variety of secondary medical conditions that can require critical care intervention. This study examined emergency medicine (EM) utilization by veterans with SCI and also surveyed EM resident physicians' familiarity with SCI medicine. Veterans with SCI utilize emergency care relatively frequently, with 20% requiring a visit within 1 year. Our survey found variable and, for some topics, disappointing accuracy of responses to clinical vignettes portraying SCI patients presenting for critical care. These results suggest that disparities in SCI medical treatment outcomes may result from inadequate training in SCI medicine among EM physicians. © 2011 Thomas Land Publishers, Inc.