Data Collection and Variables
EMERGENCY
We collected UCDCH transfer center reports on all patients who received any consultation during the study. We then used detailed data on consultation requests from participating EDs and clinician notes in the UCDCH electronic medical record to confirm qualifying patient encounters during the study period. Deidentified medical records of qualifying patients were obtained from participating hospitals through secure electronic communications. These were scanned and uploaded into a secure, encrypted, password-protected research database (REDCap).We abstracted demographic variables (age, sex, race and ethnicity, and insurance status), consultation type (telephone, telemedicine), mode of arrival to presenting ED, disposition from presenting ED (discharged, admitted, transferred), mode of transfer (air or ground ambulance), distance of presenting ED from the UCDCH, presenting chief signs and symptoms, presenting encounter diagnoses, and physiologic data. Chief signs and symptoms were categorized into Pediatric Emergency Reason for Visit Clusters.