Pulse oximetry is one of the key vital signs that we use to triage patients and make treatment and disposition decisions. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when hospitals are full, many hospitals are using pulse oximetry thresholds to determine outpatient versus inpatient management. Despite the ubiquity of pulse oximetry, prior studies have found that the devices might not be as accurate in patients with different skin pigmentation. In this podcast we review a new article in NEJM.
