Articles Tagged With:
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Dual Antibiotic Therapy Is Not Routinely Necessary for Uncomplicated Cellulitis
A randomized, multicenter, placebo-controlled clinical trial that enrolled patients presenting to emergency departments with uncomplicated cellulitis found the addition of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole to cephalexin did not lead to better outcomes.
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EP Defendants Need Forensic IT Experts to Explain EMRs
A recent malpractice lawsuit against an EP alleged that a patient coded and spent two weeks in an ICU because he received a medication to which he was allergic. Since the electronic medical record (EMR) clearly documented the patient’s allergy to the medication, at first glance, it looked as though the EP had made a colossal mistake. However, this was not the case.
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Missed Compartment Syndrome in the ED Often Leads to Litigation
Compartment syndrome is one of the few true orthopedic emergencies seen in the ED, and the consequences can be dire.
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Do State Damage Caps Apply to EMTALA?
A recent case is a good example of how a delay in implementing an order can expose EDs to EMTALA and medical malpractice claims.
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Expanded tPA Criteria Means Many More Potential Plaintiffs
Did a stroke patient experience a bad outcome in the ED? If tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) wasn’t administered in the ED, without a good reason documented in the chart, a malpractice lawsuit is likely.
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Informed Consent: Beyond Signing a Form
The informed discussion is critical to the informed consent process and meeting the applicable standard of care for obtaining informed consent. Thus, the content of that discussion is more important than a signature on a form, which frequently doesn’t include enough details about the information shared with the patient. The concept of shared decision-making adds complexity to the idea of informed consent.
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Separating Celiac Disease From Non-celiac Gluten Sensitivity
As there is no diagnostic test to confirm any patient’s 'non-gluten celiac sensitivity,' debate on the issue continues.
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Azithromycin Reduces Asthma Exacerbations
Asthma exacerbations essentially are induced exclusively by viral infections (as well as thermal and atopic stimuli). Is it time to reconsider that posture?
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BCG Vaccinations and the False-positive Effect
Clinicians should consider that the bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccination effect could influence tuberculin testing responsivity for an essentially indefinite period.
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Measuring Urine Calcium in Nephrolithiasis Patients
High sodium content in the diet increases calcium excretion in the urine, so sodium restriction may be beneficial. Thiazide diuretics reduce urinary calcium excretion and are useful when dietary and hydration steps are insufficient.