Emergency Medicine - Adult and Pediatric
RSSArticles
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Identify, Counsel EPs Frequently Targeted in Med/Mal Suits
Very small number of EPs account for vast majority of litigation.
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What if a Plaintiff Can’t Prove an EP Was Negligent?
Liability exposure still exists with ‘loss of chance’ claims.
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Spinal Cord Injury
The spinal cord, although well protected, can be injured in a variety of ways, including motor vehicle collisions and sporting events. The inability of the neurons to regenerate, and their sensitivity to anoxia and hypoperfusion, makes the timely diagnosis and treatment of spinal cord injury imperative to preserve as much function as possible. This article will cover the basic epidemiology, physiology, and treatments for spinal cord injury in an attempt to prepare the reader to manage these complex injuries.
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Alternatives to Opioids for Acute Pain Management in the Emergency Department: Part II
As emergency physicians, we want to ensure our patients are not suffering severe pain. But, at the same time, we clearly need to reduce the use of opioids. Balancing these two priorities is difficult but important to our patients and society as a whole.
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Alternatives to Opioids for Acute Pain Management in the Emergency Department: Part I
Using therapy designed specifically for several different painful conditions that commonly present to the ED, patients frequently achieve significant pain relief without the use of opioids.
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Pediatric Sports-Related Injuries of the Lower Extremity: Ankle
Pediatric lower extremity injuries are common in the emergency department, especially with increasing sports specialization in young athletes. Acute care providers need to be familiar with common injury patterns, indications for radiographs, and more specialized imaging. Recognizing and maintaining a high degree of suspicion for high-morbidity injuries that may masquerade as an ankle sprain is critical. The authors review common injuries and also injuries that cannot be missed including Maisonneuve fracture, talar fractures, navicular fractures, Jones or pseudo-Jones fractures, Lisfranc injuries, and Salter-Harris fractures.
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Study: EMTALA Violations Found 40% of Time
But only 3% triggered fines.
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‘Brief, Superficial’ ED Interactions Spur Litigation
If patients think ED providers were rushed, inattentive, or disregarded their symptoms and complaints, they’re much more likely to second guess the care and explore legal remedies.
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How Much Protection Do ‘Good Samaritan’ Laws Really Offer EPs?
The answer depends on where the care took place, if the EP received compensation, and in what state the EP is located, among other factors, according to legal experts.
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Is Psychiatric Boarding an Unconstitutional Necessity?
The decision by the Washington Supreme Court to declare the practice of psychiatric boarding unconstitutional presents a novel approach to fighting the practice and advocating for our patients. However, in doing so, the court created new avenues of risk for providers and put patients in harm’s way if the court eliminated the practice of psychiatric boarding without adequate resources in place.