[Answered]: A 49-year-old female walked into the emergency…

A 49-year-old female walked into the emergency department (ED) accompanied by a friend. She complained of severe abdominal pain with localized tenderness in the left lower quadrant and feeling feverish. Her history included a change in bowel function to constipation interrupted by periods of diarrhea. The ED physician performed a level 3 E/M service, and upon examination a palpable mass was present in the left lower quadrant. The blood test showed leukocytosis. The ED physician ordered pain medication and antibiotics. He explained to the patient that she had a probable diagnosis of diverticulitis, but she needed to be referred to a surgical consult for further evaluation to confirm the diagnosis and to rule out colon carcinoma.