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In the first phase of a two-phase process, paramedics with Grady Emergency Medical Services in Atlanta now have the option of transporting patients with less-urgent ailments to Grady Health System clinics instead of the ED. Emergency leaders believe this strategy will provide the most appropriate care for these patients and help alleviate some ED crowding.
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In most EDs, the last thing a provider wants is an extra, non-clinical individual "getting in the way."
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A program designed to find a "medical home" for complex pediatric patients can reduce the number of ED visits by 55%, according to a study published in the March 11, 2010, online edition of the Journal of Pediatrics.
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It is not current practice in most EDs, and it is not without controversy. In fact, one ethicist has called the practice "ghoulish." However, a government-funded pilot program at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Presbyterian Hospital and Allegheny General Hospital, both in Pittsburgh, is seeking to make organ donation from the ED a reality, while at the same time addressing the ethical challenges that have been raised and the logistical challenges that can lower the odds for success.
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[Editor's note: This article is the first in a two-part series on preventing violence. In this story we examine the keys to a zero tolerance policy. In next month's issue, we will discuss key recommendations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the importance of communicating effectively with patients and their families.]
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EDs at a number of Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) hospitals in the Southeast are using "new media" to inform patients of their average wait times over the past several hours. These times have been posted on hospital web sites, digital billboards, and most recently, via text messaging.
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Taking nearly seven months to transition from an ED staffing model of a contracted physician group to one that involved a partnership with a neighboring medical school might seem overly long, but the leadership at St. Joseph's Hospital in Buckhannon, WV, says they wanted to "do it right." That process included bringing on properly credentialed physicians, as well as doctors who would relate well with the surrounding community.
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"Good people who exercised poor judgment" recently took cell phone pictures of a shark attack victim who later died in the ED at Martin Memorial Medical Center in Stuart, FL, according to a statement released by hospital officials. Although no staff members were fired, the hospital has disciplined several ED employees for taking the cell phone pictures and has asked anyone with copies of the photos to destroy them.
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In a new Sentinel Event Alert, The Joint Commission focused on an issue to which ED managers are no strangers.
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Did a patient wait a long time in your ED, and did that patient have an adverse outcome? If these two events can be linked together by a plaintiff's attorney, it could result in a successful malpractice lawsuit against your staff or your institution.
