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A man with chest pain tells you that he uses cocaine and is positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), then asks you to not tell his girlfriend who is about to enter the room. What are you most likely to be sued for: if you disclose the patient's status, or if you don't tell and his partner gets infected?
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In August of this year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published final rules revising the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS). These regulations also contain policy changes related to a hospital's obligations under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act of 1986 (EMTALA).
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This is a two-part series on liability risks regarding antibiotic choice in the emergency department. This month, we report on liability risks involving methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
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In an age of high patient volumes, overcrowding, and prolonged patient stays in emergency departments (EDs), the clinician is challenged to be both efficient and effective on a daily basis.
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Given the findings of a recent study in the Annals of Emergency Medicine,1 ED managers should take immediate steps to improve communications with patients, says Bruce Janiak, MD, FACEP, FAAP, professor of emergency medicine, Medical College of Georgia, and vice chair of the ED at MCG Health Medical Center, both in Augusta.
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Under a new policy instituted in May 2008, patients in the ED at Metro Health Medical Center in Cleveland who have minor ailments must now pay part of their bill before being treated or be referred to one of MetroHealth's 16 clinics in the area. They are guaranteed an appointment within 72 hours.
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The ED at Metro Health Medical Center in Cleveland began considering a new policy for patients with minor ailments about two years ago, recalls Charles L.
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(Editor's note: With this issue, ED Management begins a series on innovative approaches to documentation that can significantly enhance your department's revenues, without making any changes in patient flow and throughput processes. In this month's issue, we address the most effective documentation tools, proper staffing to optimize their use, and how to convince administration to make the required investment. In subsequent issues, we'll cover electronic tracking and chart monitoring, productivity incentives, and excellence in coding and billing practices.)
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ED managers who don't currently use a documentation tool that prompts you to take actions that will ensure optimal reimbursement are missing an opportunity to significantly enhance revenues, says Robert B. Takla, MD, FACEP, vice chief emergency services at St. John Hospital and Medical Center, Detroit.
