Frequent incorrect documentation of tobacco use for emergency department adults that qualify for lung cancer screening

• Published in: The American journal of emergency medicine 2022-05, Vol.55, p.82-83
• Main Author: Pettit, Nicholas R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adults; Cancer screening; Documentation; Early Detection of Cancer; Electronic health record; Electronic Health Records; Emergency medical care; Emergency medical services; Emergency Service, Hospital; Health care; Health care access; Humans; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - diagnosis; Medical screening; Patients; Preventive medicine; Primary care; Race; Smoking; Tobacco; Tobacco Use
• ISSN: 0735-6757; 1532-8171
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2022.02.057

Adult (55–75 years old) smokers (flagged by the EHR) were approached by trained research assistants, and if they were eligible for LCS they were included in this study. Since this study began in 2019 the newer LCS guidelines were not used as screening criteria [1]. The same populations that will likely receive increased eligibility for from the new USPSTF LCS recommendations are likely among the same populations that experience racial and disparities in the ED. [...]the ED represents a potential location to target vulnerable populations who otherwise wouldn't have access to various preventive health care, such as targeting these patients for LCS education or referral for LCS upon ED discharge. [...]our work demonstrates that among LCS-eligible adult ED patients at a safety-net ED, nearly 75% of patients have their tobacco pack years incorrectly recorded in the EHR.