ED Management – December 1, 2021
December 1, 2021
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Emergency Care Improvement Needed for Patients with Sickle Cell Disease
Every patient with sickle cell disease (SCD) should be evaluated by an expert in SCD care who can develop a patient-specific treatment plan that can be used in the ED. Without such a resource, caring for SCD patients will continue to be challenging for emergency providers.
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Mobile Stroke Units, Teleneurology Units Accelerate Time to Treatment
Investigators recently published evidence that appears to support the efficacy of mobile stroke units (MSU), specially equipped ambulances that essentially bring treatment to patients experiencing ischemic strokes. In a multicenter trial, researchers found patients treated on an MSU received clot-busting medication faster and demonstrated better health at 90 days than patients who were transferred to the hospital for treatment via traditional ambulance.
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Updated Guidelines on Recurrent, Low-Risk Chest Pain Fill in Some Treatment Gaps
Eight specific recommendations can help emergency providers make good decisions for patients who have visited the ED and undergone a diagnostic workup that showed no evidence of coronary stenosis, only to return with similar complaints within 12 months.
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Legal Exposure Regarding Recurrent Low-Risk Chest Pain
The most important actions an emergency physician can take are to gather a thorough medical history and correctly interpret the ECG.
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With ED Provider at Triage, Fewer Patients Leave Without Being Seen
Leaders are trying to find effective ways to prevent high-risk patients from waiting too long for critical treatment — or from simply walking out the door forever.
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Time Spent in ED Hallways Raises Risk of Developing Delirium
Researchers analyzed 25,162 patients, including 1,920 who met delirium criteria. Patients with delirium spent a greater percentage of time in the ED hallway than other patients and stayed in the ED longer. Patients developed delirium in the ED more often than patients on the inpatient units. Out of the 1,920 patients who developed delirium, 1,488 did so while in the ED.
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Cardiology, Stroke Malpractice Cases Involve ED Providers’ Communication Gaps
Cutting corners with poor communication can lead to devastating patient outcomes.
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Patients Offer Insight on ED Providers’ Communication Skills
With better communication, ED patients are more likely to follow recommendations and experience better outcomes.
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Discussions on Patient Care Could Become Discoverable
Evidence indicating the emergency physician conducted peer review diligently and in good faith could help the defense. Still, considering the possibility of discoverability, providers should avoid inaccurate, sarcastic, or unnecessary comments during peer review.