Browse Emergency Articles by Topic

Legal Implications for ED if Scribes Used for Documentation

By relying on scribes to document, EPs presumably can spend more time focusing on the patient and include more detailed documentation in the ED chart. On the other hand, scribes can potentially increase legal exposure for EPs.

If Family Gets Only Silence After Bad Outcome, Plaintiff Attorney Likely Next Call

At one Ohio facility, a team communicates dire news to families. This team includes a risk manager, an ombudsman, and usually one clinician such as a director or another physician who is experienced in communicating bad news.

More Than Half of ED Claims Diagnosis-related

It’s especially important in the ED setting that timing is documented throughout the entire duration of a patient’s visit.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

The term pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) describes a compilation of infections that arise from an ascending infection of the vagina or cervix to the upper genital tract, which is comprised of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. These infections include, either alone or in combination, tubo-ovarian abscess, salpingitis, endometritis, and peritonitis. This article provides an evidence-based review of diagnostic and treatment recommendations for PID.

Emergency Providers Sound Alarm on Persistent Critical Drug Shortages

There may be fewer drug shortages than in other recent years, but some shortages are more severe, according to experts. Emergency providers report these shortages are affecting patient care. In particular, emergency providers are struggling to deal with a shortage of IV opioid analgesic drugs that has been in effect since the end of 2017. They are working with hospital pharmacists to conserve such drugs for patients most in need and to find alternative therapies.

CDC: Suicide Rates Up By 30% in Some Areas

In 2016 alone, 45,000 people committed suicide. Data show suicide is one of only three leading causes of death that are increasing.

Emergency Providers Play a Pivotal Role in Suicide Prevention

Experts point to insufficient mental healthcare resources in the United States as one of the key drivers of the rising suicide rate. However, these experts emphasize that emergency providers have a front-row seat to the problem, and can play an important role in prevention. To address the issue, a growing number of EDs are implementing universal screening to identify patients at risk for suicide. Such steps must be paired with effective protocols to connect at-risk patients with appropriate interventions.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Emergency Medicine

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO₂) is a treatment modality that can be used in the emergent management of a number of life-threatening conditions. This article will review the mechanisms, indications, and future directions of HBO₂ specific to the field of emergency medicine.

Sepsis-related Neurologic Dysfunction Strongly Associated With Long-term Mortality

In this multicenter, retrospective study, acute neurologic dysfunction was the organ dysfunction most strongly associated with short- and long-term mortality in patients surviving a sepsis hospitalization.

Selection of Isotonic Crystalloid for Fluid Resuscitation: How Much Does It Matter?

Using balanced crystalloids rather than normal saline for intravenous fluid administration in critically ill adults leads to statistically significant lower rates of major adverse kidney events, including death from any cause, new renal replacement therapy, and persistent renal dysfunction, compared to normal saline in critically ill adults. Clinical judgment should be applied when selecting fluid.