When is it necessary to send a patient with a GI disorder to an acute care facility?
A transfer to an acute care hospital may be necessary if the patient has any of the following symptoms: GI bleeding (moderate to severe); acute abdominal pain accompanied by vomiting, a dramatic change in bowel sounds, or a distended abdomen (suspicion of obstruction); a GI tube that has come out and cannot be replaced at the facility within 24 hours; and a gastrostomy tube that has come out and cannot be replaced at the facility within a timely manner or in the case where a tube that is less than 30 days old with an immature stoma/tract requires physician insertion. • Should the patient’s pain be treated before a surgical consultation to address abdominal pain? Do not hesitate to treat pain before the consultation. Some health care providers fear that pain management may mask symptoms and interfere with making a diagnosis. However, no evidence exists that pain management affects diagnosis. The patient’s comfort should always be a prime consideration. • Is it sufficient to write GERD o
