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Opioid use/abuse is an increasing problem. In a mail survey sent to a random community sample, 4.1% of respondents admitted to taking opioids at that time.
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In stroke patients, both acute and during recovery, use a bedside dysphagia screening tool to identify patients at risk for aspiration pneumonia and to guide dietary orders.
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This is the second issue in the series on minor trauma. This issue deals with neck and chest injuries. Emergency providers must differentiate between minor injuries and the rarer serious injuries, all while being cost effective and avoiding unnecessary radiation.
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A new analysis of Press Ganey patient surveys suggests that whether or not a patient receives painkillers when they present to the ED for care may have much less impact on patient satisfaction than previous thought.
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In its first year of operation, Washington states ER is for Emergencies initiative has helped to save the states Medicaid budget $33.6 million. The initiative, which is based on the implementation of seven best practices, has succeeded in part by improving care coordination and by linking EDs across the state so information can be shared electronically.
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In its first annual list of the top 10 patient safety concerns for health care organizations, the ECRI Institute, based in Plymouth Meeting, PA, placed health care information technology (IT) systems at the top of list, noting that while IT has great potential to improve patient safety, poorly designed systems or incorrect patient data can lead to patient harm.
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With their hectic schedules and demanding work responsibilities, emergency physicians are particularly vulnerable to symptoms of burnout. One study showed that more than half of emergency providers reported at least one symptom of burnout when they were asked to fill out a survey tool used to measure burnout more than any other type of provider.
