Emergency department (ED) visits for migraine are burdensome to patients and to the larger healthcare system and society, a recent study found. Furthermore, a substantial number of headache specialists are dissatisfied with the care their patients receive in the ED. Researchers
surveyed members of the American Headache Society (AHS) Emergency Department/Refractory/Inpatient (EDRI) Section to understand their practice regarding patients who call their office to be seen urgently, and to understand their communication with local EDs. There were 96 eligible AHS members, 50 of whom responded to questionnaires either by email or in person (52%).They found:
- Of total respondents, 59% reported giving rescue treatment to their patients to manage acute attacks.
- 54% reported using standard protocols for outpatients not responding to usual acute treatments.
- In the event of a request for urgent care, 12% of specialists reported bringing patients into the office most or all of the time, and 20% reported sending patients to the ED some or most of the time for headache management.
- 60% reported that their ED has a protocol for migraine management.
Minen MT, Ortega E, Lipton RB, Cowan R. American Headache Society survey about urgent and emergency management of headache patients. [Published online ahead of print September 12, 2018]. Headache. doi:10.1111/head.13387.