The social experience of uncertainty: a qualitative analysis of emergency department care for suspected pneumonia for the design of decision support.

ABSTRACT:

Background

This study sought to understand the process of clinical decision-making for suspected pneumonia by emergency departments (ED) providers in Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers. The long-term goal of this work is to create clinical decision support tools to reduce unwarranted variation in diagnosis and treatment of suspected pneumonia.

Methods

Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 ED clinicians from 9 VA facilities demonstrating variation in antibiotic and hospitalization decisions. Interviews of ED providers focused on understanding decision making for provider-selected pneumonia cases and providers' organizational contexts.

Results

Thematic analysis identified four salient themes: i) ED decision-making for suspected pneumonia is a

SUBMITTER: Taber P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11657753 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature