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Question: Were debating two questions in our hospital regarding when EMTALA applies. First, does the law apply to patients who only are holding in the ED because there are no beds available in the hospital? And does it apply when an air ambulance uses our helipad but does not bring the patient to our ED?
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The first step in formalizing your list of drug seekers or other frequent visitors to your ED is to avoid any disparaging names for them or the list, says Joel Geiderman, MD, FACEP, co-chair of the ED at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
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Whether you use a list or not, the best way to deal with drug seekers in your ED is to get tough with them, says John Burke, commander of the Warren County (OH) Drug Task Force in Cincinnati, and a former police officer.
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To illustrate how EDs set themselves up for malpractice liability when treating head injuries, Diane M. Sixsmith, MD, MPH, FACEP, chairman of emergency medicine at New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens in Flushing, tells the story of a 22-year-old boxer who was knocked out in a training session.
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Patient satisfaction improves dramatically if your staff pay more attention to the soft skills of ED care, such as the way you talk to people, while simultaneously improving the physical surroundings.
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With the flu season upon us and only half the normal supply of vaccine available, ED managers are preparing and bracing for a greater influx of flu patients this year.
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If the flu vaccine shortage leads to a significant surge in flu patients, maintaining optimal staff health will be critical to providing adequate care for those patients, observers agree.
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Provide surgical masks to all patients with symptoms of a respiratory illness. Provide instructions on the proper use and disposal of masks.