Hospital clinicians in the United States are watching with grave concern as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) a rapidly emerging infection with unclear treatment options strikes the health care system of their Canadian colleagues.
This is the second of a two-part series on improving ED reimbursement under ambulatory payment classifications (APCs). This month, we cover staff physicians, supplies and medications, local medical review policies, and proper use of modifiers.
By putting in saline locks instead of intravenous (IV) lines, you save the cost of IV fluids that often are not needed, says Marianne Gausche-Hill, MD.
Whether a bite or sting results in an anaphylactic reaction, impressive local effects, or a life-threatening systemic reaction, the emergency physician must be able to institute appropriate and effective treatment. Emergency physicians also must be able to recognize clinical envenomation patterns, since some critically ill patients may not be able to convey the details of the attack. Since all areas of the country are represented in the envenomation statistics, all emergency physicians should be familiar with identification and stabilization of envenomated patients and know what resources are available locally for further management of these often complicated patients.
Imagine being told to send home almost one-third of your ED staff with absolutely no advance notice and those technicians, nurses, and physicians being off the schedule for several days. Thats exactly what happened to an ED manager at Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque, NM.
In a hectic and crowded ED, it is a daunting challenge to limit the number of individuals who have contact with a potential severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patient.
ED staff at William Beaumont Hospital are asked the following questions to assess their knowledge about severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
