Differentiating between sick and non-sick patients

When assessing a patient with acute abdominal pain, it is crucial to determine if the patient is sick or non-sick. This can be evaluated based on the severity of symptoms and overall discomfort. Acute right upper quadrant pain may require urgent care, as it could indicate conditions that are likely to worsen in the next day or two and potentially require intervention, such as antimicrobial therapy, imaging, or surgery. On the other hand, subacute or chronic abdominal pain may not require urgent evaluation and can be further assessed over time.