Emergency Medicine - Adult and Pediatric
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Consults, Studies Recommended By Others Carry Med/Mal Implications for EPs
Somewhere in the ED chart, somebody recommends involvement of a particular specialist, or that a specific study should be conducted. When this kind of recommendation is documented but never acted on, it can mean legal trouble for the EP.
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Study: 1 in 5 EMTALA Settlements Involves Psychiatric Emergencies
One expert says EDs should address mental health emergencies with the same vigor as trauma, cardiac, and stroke episodes.
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It Was Too Early to Detect Sepsis: Can Defense Team Prove It?
Sepsis is not always diagnosable, or even present, at the time of an ED visit. All testing performed in the ED may provide negative results. Despite these facts, plaintiffs still may prevail in a missed sepsis lawsuit. -
Emergency Medicine Residency Programs Devote Little Time to Malpractice Education
Only 18% of emergency medicine (EM) residency programs offer more than four hours a year of medical malpractice/risk management education, according to the authors of a recent study.
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Penetrating Extremity Trauma: Part II
Part I of this series discussed etiology, initial field management, and emergency department evaluation of penetrating extremity trauma. This article will cover the mangled extremity, recognizing and managing vascular injuries, imaging approach, and emergency department management of these injuries.
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Postpartum Emergencies
Postpartum emergencies may include a variety of clinical presentations, ranging from minor concerns to life-threatening emergencies. Common postpartum emergencies include pain, fever, hemorrhage, hypertension, preeclampsia, eclampsia, infection, and depression.
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Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome
The workup of suspected acute coronary syndrome in the emergency department is an ever-evolving process, and staying up-to-date can be difficult. This review aims to empower providers to maximize diagnostic precision in a patient-centered and resource-conscious way.
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Many ED Charts Lack Explanation of EP’s Thought Process
Many ED malpractice claims would be defensible except for one problem: There is nothing in the chart to explain what the EP was thinking at the time of the ED visit.
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Liability for Hospitals if Security Removes Disruptive Person from Waiting Room
The safest approach is to presume that anyone in the ED waiting area is presenting for evaluation and medical care, unless they indicate otherwise.
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Texts Can Hurt Defendant EP, Even if Messages Were Sent Off Shift
If a bad outcome happens during a shift, a plaintiff attorney can obtain phone records. This attorney may accuse a healthcare worker of talking on the phone to his or her lawyer instead of seeing patients.