Physicians who cause health care outcomes disparities

Abstract

Our specialty needs a randomized, prospective trial, designed to compare strategies to diagnose low-risk chest pain patients, with patients randomized toeither receive or not receive CCTA. The NNT should be estimated. If CCTA does not outperform more standard diagnostic strategies, it should be abandoned. If CCTA conveys meaningful advantages, it should be embraced, but not in a manner that subjects some patients to health care disparities. Consultants who restrict implementing efficacious and time-critical interventions that are backed by a large body of research to limited times of availability inherently are a cause of health care disparities. Not all health care disparities are due to poverty, race, or similar factors. Some are due to the choices of our colleagues in other specialties, who limit our patients access to optimal care to times convenient to them. © 2013 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.