ED Management – February 1, 2024

ED Malpractice Claims Differ for Attendings, Trainees, NPs, PAs

Emergency medicine is an inherently high-risk specialty regarding malpractice liability because of complex cases and a fast-paced environment. Increasingly, EDs are staffed by advanced practice providers. It is unclear whether this changes liability for EDs and, if so, in what way.

Evolving Legal Exposure for Supervising EPs

If an ED patient seen by a nurse practitioner or a physician assistant sues for malpractice, the supervising emergency physician is likely to be named as a co-defendant. That is true even if the emergency physician never saw or heard about the patient, according to a recent study.

Maximize ED Throughput with a Higher-Level Focus on Bed Traffic Control

Getting patients seen and treated expeditiously is not only a boon in terms of operational efficiency, it also is a big plus for patient safety. Such factors figured prominently when ED leaders at AdventHealth East Orlando decided to create a powerful new nursing position to take charge of what they are calling bed traffic control.

Is the Patient Admitted to the ICU But Still in the ED? Handoffs Are a Safety Concern

Many patients are admitted to the intensive care unit but remain in the ED waiting for an inpatient bed. Depending on how long the patient is boarded, emergency physicians may need to hand the patient off at shift change.

New Service Accelerates Critical Care Expertise to ED Patients

With ICU-level resources often limited, especially in rural areas, investigators with the University of Vermont Health Network based in Burlington implemented a new service designed to expand the reach of critical care expertise across the health system, which includes a tertiary hospital, two community hospitals, and three critical access hospitals.

Safety Issues if Patients Use Symptom Checkers

Patients increasingly are using online symptom checkers and artificial intelligence-based platforms for guidance on whether to visit the ED.

Patient Safety Concerns When ED Nurses Have Poor Working Environments

There is growing evidence that physicians and nurses are concerned about the emergency medicine workforce. Almost half (47%) of emergency medicine programs had unfilled positions in the 2023 U.S. Match, according to a recent study. Emergency nurses report significantly higher rates of burnout, job dissatisfaction, and intent to leave the job compared to inpatient nurses, another study found.

Unmet Social Needs May Be Reason for ED Visit

Many unmet social needs are the true underlying reason for ED visits, although they often go unrecognized at the time of presentation. Without screening for social needs, ED patients may face physical, psychological, and economic consequences.

Addressing Food Insecurity in the ED

Screening ED patients for food insecurity is not particularly difficult or time-consuming, but intervening to address the problem can be complicated by various factors.

Managing Homeless Patients in the ED

It can be frustrating to emergency providers to care for patients who they know will have a hard time following through on prescribed treatments or directions because they lack access to housing. Yet, coming into contact with such patients is hardly a rare occurrence, particularly in busy urban settings.