The abdominal pain unit as a treatment pathway Structured care of patients with atraumatic abdominal pain in the emergency department

Background Patients with atraumatic abdominal pain are common in the emergency department and have a relatively high hospital mortality, with a very wide spectrum of different causes. Rapid, goal-directed diagnosis is essential in this context. Methods In a Delphi process with representatives of different disciplines, a diagnostic treatment pathway was designed, which is called the Abdominal Pain Unit (APU). Results The treatment pathway was designed as an extended event process chain. Crucial decision points were specified using standard operating procedures. Discussion The APU treatment pathway establishes a consistent treatment structure for patients with atraumatic abdominal pain. It has the potential to improve the quality of care and reduce intrahospital mortality over the long term.