ED Management – December 1, 2005
December 1, 2005
View Issues
-
Bird flu pandemic may not be certainty, but it’s not too early to start preparing
The avian influenza A (H5N1) virus, more commonly known as bird flu, is capturing headlines around the world. President Bush has even announced a plan to prepare the United States for a possible pandemic. -
Some chest pain patients may be discharged early
A team of Canadian researchers has developed the Vancouver Chest Pain Rule, that they say may be used to identify and safely discharge emergency patients with chest pain from the emergency department, following evaluation. -
Emergency department payments cut by CMS in final outpatient rule
If the final outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) rule on hospital outpatient payment services for 2006 is any indication, the coming year will be an extremely tight one economically for the nations EDs. -
‘Virtual beds’ lower flow times, boost satisfaction
Some ED managers call the system virtual beds; others prefer the terms outside waiting room, or waiting room by appointment. Whatever you choose to call it, its a no wasted real estate approach to ED management that can help you decrease door-to-doc times and increase patient satisfaction. -
Communication, teamwork keys to system’s success
For an ED to succeed with a system such as the rapid medical evaluation (RME) process adapted by many ED clients of California Emergency Physicians/ MedAmerica (CEP/MedAmerica), a Laguna Hills, CA-based emergency physician management company, the manager must overcome several challenges, says Diana S. Contino, RN, MBA, a consultant for CEP. -
How 3 hospital EDs benefit from virtual beds
The following are examples of results achieved by several clients of California Emergency Physicians/ MedAmerica (CEP/MedAmerica), a Laguna Hills, CA-based emergency physician management company, who use the Rapid Medical Evaluation (RME) process. -
Katrina-born tracking forms aid Rita response
Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention, and it cant get much more necessary than trying to track several thousand patients whove suddenly been transferred to your city. Thats precisely the challenge that faced the city of Houston in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. -
AHRQ publishes disaster preparedness guide
In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has released a report, titled Development of Models for Emergency Preparedness, to help field- and facility-based health care professionals plan for and respond to bioterrorism events or public health emergencies.