Emergency Physicians' Adherence to Center for Disease Control and Prevention Guidance During the 2009 Influenza A H1N1 Pandemic

The authors reviewed all 339 patients with a clinical diagnosis of influenza at a single hospital emergency department from May 2008 to December 2009 to compare patient management pre and during the H1N1 pandemic and to test adherence to H1N1 guidance from the CDC and the American College of Emergency Physicians. They found similar rates of hospital admission, but different clinical presentation patterns during the pandemic period. Diagnostic testing practices were very good or excellent in adherence to guidelines, but suboptimal in antiviral prescription guideline adherence.