President George W. Bush, who says he has political capital from his reelection victory over Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) that he intends to spend, will use some of that capital to push for limits to jury awards in medical malpractice cases.
Eye injuries present a significant challenge to emergency personnel. Patient stress and coexisting periorbital findings can complicate any evaluation, and many of the signs of serious injury may be quite subtle. Because the majority of eye injuries present between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. when ophthalmology consultation is not available immediately in most hospitals, a tremendous burden is placed on the emergency health care provider to identify and manage potential vision-threatening disorders. The following is a review of ocular trauma with a focus on clinical findings, their implications, and management.
Arguably the most important new trial to be reported in New Orleans was the African-American Heart Failure Trial; the use of a combination of isosorbide dinitrate and hydralazine in African-Americans with congestive heart failure.
The final rule on hospital outpatient payment services for 2005 from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has some good news for ED managers: Requirements for reporting diagnostics tests have become less burdensome.
Common wisdom may say that the nations EDs are being filled up with the uninsured, but a new study on EDs asserts that more than 80% of patients seen in EDs have health insurance and a usual source of health care such as a primary care physician.
