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30 ED-Related Cases Resolved Without Litigation

All cases were approached using a process of investigation, disclosure, and apology.

ED Provider Apologies: Dangerous or Legally Protective?

Conventional wisdom holds that any EP who admits fault (or even displays empathy) probably will end up in court hearing their own words used against them. Still, a growing number of states are passing apology laws to protect against this possibility.

Can Communication and Resolution Programs Prevent ED Malpractice Lawsuits?

If an ED patient is seriously hurt by a medical error, a costly, years-long malpractice lawsuit probably is inevitable, at least according to standard thinking. Yet there is growing awareness of an alternative to this all-too-familiar story.

Investigators Find Patient Frustration With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

The results of a new study suggest that patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) often are dissatisfied with their encounters in the emergency setting. In fact, investigators reported that many of these patients decline to seek care in the ED because they believe their symptoms will be dismissed as psychosomatic. However, the study also shed light on the most common reason why patients with CFS visit the ED.

Epidemiologists See a Milder Flu Season, Warn Danger Remains for High-Risk Groups

This year’s flu season is not overwhelming EDs like last year’s record-breaking season. However, the circulating viruses remain dangerous, particularly to groups most at risk. By mid-February, the CDC reported there had been 41 flu-related pediatric deaths, with flu activity still on the rise across the country. To help frontline providers, the CDC is offering new tools to help them keep track of flu activity and severity. Further, there is a new antiviral medication that has been approved by the FDA.

Polar Vortex Creates New Challenges for Hospitals, EDs

While the Midwest is accustomed to cold weather, the bone-chilling blast of freezing temperatures that swept through the heartland at the end of January provided added challenges to hospitals and EDs in the region.

Stroke: The Subtle, Atypical, and Enigmatic

This article will explore the subtle and enigmatic presentations of stroke. These patients often will present with nonspecific symptoms, such as vision problems, headache, a subtle language deficit, dizziness, or amnesia.

Evaluation and Treatment of Adrenal Insufficiency in the Emergency Department

This article addresses the pathophysiology, discusses various clinical presentations, and reviews current evidence-based practices for managing adrenal insufficiency and crisis in the emergency department.

Rethinking the Prophylactic Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors in the ICU

The authors of this multicenter, blinded, randomized trial found that among critically ill adults at risk for gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, fewer patients in the pantoprazole group exhibited clinically important GI bleeding compared to placebo, although mortality at 90 days was similar in both groups.

Late Awakening Among Cardiac Arrest Survivors Predicts Worse Short- and Long-Term Outcomes

In this retrospective single-center study, late awakening after cardiac arrest was associated with a higher rate of unfavorable outcomes immediately after awakening and at three months.