ED Management 2003-04-01

Are you losing staff to military call-ups? ED managers share their key strategies

If your ED already is experiencing high vacancy rates for nursing staff, decreased morale, and increased patient volume, try this on for size: What if you suddenly lost several nurses, technicians, and physicians without notice for an undetermined period of time? This is the scenario many EDs may face in the coming months as a result of losing staff due to military call-ups.

Military/Nonmilitary-Related Obligation Pay and Leave

This policy presents the organizations obligations in complying with The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act and stipulates compensation parameters for nonworking time granted due to certain military training and service obligations.

Administrative Policies and Procedures

Emergency department full capacity protocol for in-house hall bed placement from Stony Brook (NY) University Hospital and Medical Center.

Address risks of staff who get smallpox vaccine

Even if your ED staff are not being vaccinated for smallpox, youll need to address transmission risks if reservists receive the vaccine due to military call-ups.

5 ways to comply with HIPAA oral privacy regs

Violations of HIPAA's oral privacy requirements, which go into effect April 14, 2003, may result in civil penalties of up to $25,000 for each requirement violated, and criminal penalties of up to $50,000 and one year in prison for obtaining or disclosing protected health information.

ED Benchmarking Success: Use protocol to send inpatient holds upstairs

The ED at Stonybrook (NY) University Medical Center developed a full capacity protocol that requires patients to be held upstairs, often in the hallway, when the ED is at full capacity.

Guest Column: New strategies assist billing under APCs

This is the first part of a two-part series on improving ED reimbursement under ambulatory payment classifications. This month, we cover nursing assessment criteria, ED chargemasters, billing for evaluation and management services services, and observation services.

EMTALA Q&A

Is it necessary to send a nurse on a transfer of a stable myocardial infarction patient to another facility for cardiac catheterization/percutaneous transluminal coronary recanalization who recently has received thrombolytics?

MRIs found to be faster at detecting heart attacks

As an ED manager, you should take note of a new study reporting that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology can detect heart attacks faster than other methods in ED patients with chest pain.

ED Management – April 1, 2003

April 1, 2003