TY - JOUR
T1 - Acute treatment of periodic severe headache
T2 - Comparison of three outpatient care facilities
AU - Linbo, L.
AU - Bartleson, J. D.
AU - Morgan-Thompson, D.
AU - Greff, L.
AU - Naessens, J. M.
PY - 1998/2
Y1 - 1998/2
N2 - We compared treatment of patients with episodic, severe, migraine- vascular headaches in three outpatient settings associated with a major medical center: the Charlton Outpatient Therapy Center (COTC), a dedicated transfusion and injection facility which provides treatment based on physician orders written in advance of the patient's visit; a walk-in Urgent Care Center (UCC); and a traditional hospital emergency trauma unit (ETU). For a 7-month period in 1995, all patient visits for acute migraine headache to the COTC, UCC, and ETU were reviewed. Data collected included the treatment and charges. After the study period, a sample of patients was surveyed regarding their outcome and satisfaction with care at each of the three facilities. During the study period, 15 patients visited the COTC 446 times for the treatment of acute migraine, 80 patients visited the UCC 233 times, and 182 patients visited the ETU 238 times. The average charges per visit were $39.93 for the COTC, $57.28 for the UCC, and $317.71 for the ETU. Average time spent in order to obtain care was 35 minutes in the COTC, 62 minutes in the UCC, and 105 minutes in the ETU. Intramuscular meperidine with either promethazine or hydroxyzine was the most commonly administered treatment in all three settings. Patients treated in the COTC reported greater satisfaction then the patients seen in the UCC or ETU. A dedicated outpatient facility with extended hours of operation and the capability of treating acute headache patients with parenteral medications based on standing orders has provided a community of migraine sufferers with cost- effective care.
AB - We compared treatment of patients with episodic, severe, migraine- vascular headaches in three outpatient settings associated with a major medical center: the Charlton Outpatient Therapy Center (COTC), a dedicated transfusion and injection facility which provides treatment based on physician orders written in advance of the patient's visit; a walk-in Urgent Care Center (UCC); and a traditional hospital emergency trauma unit (ETU). For a 7-month period in 1995, all patient visits for acute migraine headache to the COTC, UCC, and ETU were reviewed. Data collected included the treatment and charges. After the study period, a sample of patients was surveyed regarding their outcome and satisfaction with care at each of the three facilities. During the study period, 15 patients visited the COTC 446 times for the treatment of acute migraine, 80 patients visited the UCC 233 times, and 182 patients visited the ETU 238 times. The average charges per visit were $39.93 for the COTC, $57.28 for the UCC, and $317.71 for the ETU. Average time spent in order to obtain care was 35 minutes in the COTC, 62 minutes in the UCC, and 105 minutes in the ETU. Intramuscular meperidine with either promethazine or hydroxyzine was the most commonly administered treatment in all three settings. Patients treated in the COTC reported greater satisfaction then the patients seen in the UCC or ETU. A dedicated outpatient facility with extended hours of operation and the capability of treating acute headache patients with parenteral medications based on standing orders has provided a community of migraine sufferers with cost- effective care.
KW - Acute treatment
KW - Cost-effective therapy
KW - Headache
KW - Meperidine
KW - Migraine
KW - Narcotic analgesics
KW - Pharmacologic treatment
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U2 - 10.1046/j.1526-4610.1998.3802105.x
DO - 10.1046/j.1526-4610.1998.3802105.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 9529765
AN - SCOPUS:0031965919
SN - 0017-8748
VL - 38
SP - 105
EP - 111
JO - Headache
JF - Headache
IS - 2
ER -