Pain Management

In this episode, National Registry Research Fellow Jacob Kamholz explores a national study on how pain is managed in the field. The research analyzed over 35,000 EMS records of adult patients with confirmed long bone fractures. By linking EMS data with hospital diagnoses, researchers were able to precisely identify the injuries treated by each Clinician.The study utilized the CDC Social Vulnerability Index to account for factors like income and education levels within different communities. Researchers examined whether the administration of pain medication varied across different patient groups while controlling for age, injury location, and transport time. This methodology ensures a comprehensive look at how care is delivered in various environments.The findings indicate that differences in treatment exist within the out-of-hospital setting. These variations were not explained by patient preferences or clinical contradictions. We invite you to listen to the full episode to learn how data can help the EMS community continue to provide high-quality care for every patient.Read the full study here: https://www.annemergmed.com/article/S0196-0644(23)00267-6/pdf