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New rules put forth by the bush administration that took effect on Nov. 10 significantly relax strictures in the 1986 Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) that required hospitals and some hospital-owned clinics to examine and treat people who need emergency medical care even when those patients cant pay.
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Using a universal consent form for multiple procedures anticipated for a patient can nearly double the consent rate for most of the invasive procedures performed in an intensive care unit, according to researchers in Chicago. But observers say the tactic may violate the spirit of the informed consent process.
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The universal consent form described eight commonly performed procedures: placement of an arterial catheter, a central venous catheter, a pulmonary artery catheter, a peripherally inserted central catheter, lumbar puncture, thoracentesis (surgical puncture through the chest wall with drainage of fluid from the thoracic cavity), paracentesis (surgical puncture through the abdominal wall with drainage or aspiration of fluid from the abdominal cavity), and intubation/mechanical ventilation.
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A patient daily goals checkoff form used twice daily during rounds has helped the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) team at Hartford (CT) Hospital achieve a 25% drop in its mortality rate, while cutting lengths of stay and ventilator days.
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The FDA has approved Pfizer's eplerenone (Inspra) for the treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF) in patients who have sustained a myocardial infarction.
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What would happen today if a patient with suspect or probable SARS were admitted to your hospital? To help you prepare for the threat, Thomson American Health Consultants offers the upcoming audio conference: The Resurgence of SARS: Why your hospital may not be as prepared as you think, on Dec. 9, from 2:30-3:30 EST. Let our experts help you answer that and many other critical questions with practical tips and solutions to detect first cases and protect other patients and health care workers.
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EMTALA: The Essential Guide to Compliance from Thomson American Health Consultants, publisher of Emergency Medicine Reports, explains how the changes to EMTALA will affect emergency departments and off-campus clinics. In-depth articles, at-a-glance tables, and Q-and-As on real-life situations are presented, and key differences between the "old" EMTALA and the new changes are succinctly explained,
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