ED Management
RSSArticles
-
Alarming Increases in ED Visits for Opioid Overdoses Highlight Need for Robust Solutions
While it is clear that more action must be taken to address the problem, some states already have taken steps to respond to the epidemic in a coordinated way.
-
Community Hospital Uses Mobile App to Improve Communications, Accelerate Throughput
To improve communications between EMS providers and the ED, The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ, adopted an app that enables prehospital providers to notify the ED electronically that a patient is on the way, along with any key clinical information. The approach replaces the need for phone or radio notifications, which can tie up ED-based staff or get missed when the ED is busy.
-
Flu Season Strains ED Capacity Across Country
Still, by the end of February, data show that flu activity remained widespread in every state except Oregon and Hawaii, and health officials warn frontline providers that flu activity is likely to remain elevated for several more weeks.
-
Three-tier Accreditation Process for Geriatric EDs is on the Launch Pad
In recognition of the fact that older adults present unique care needs, ACEP has taken a leading role in a new effort to provide Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation to EDs that meet the standards spelled out in the Geriatric Emergency Department Guidelines, a series of recommendations the ACEP board of directors and several other national emergency medicine and geriatrics organizations endorsed in 2014.
-
Avoiding Costs, Risks Through Reduced Hospitalization Among Older Adults
New research suggests that transitional care nurses with geriatrics training can help facilitate the discharge of older patients who present to the ED for care. Investigators found that such interventions can reduce hospitalization in this patient group, enabling patients to avoid hospital-associated risks such as functional and cognitive declines and healthcare-associated infections.
-
ED-based Universal Screening Helps Identify Patients at Risk for Suicide
The ED at Parkland Hospital & Health System in Dallas has implemented a universal screening program to identify patients at risk for suicide. A six-item suicide screen is administered at triage, with patients stratified into three risk groups based on their answers: no risk identified, moderate risk identified, and high risk identified. Patients receive specific interventions based on their risk group.
-
Lack of Concussion Diagnoses in Dedicated Pediatric ED Raises Concerns
A new study by investigators from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School’s department of emergency medicine suggests that concussions are “grossly” underdiagnosed in pediatric patients who present to the ED, but it is not clear why or what the ramifications are for patients who do not receive an explicit diagnosis of concussion. The single-center study involved chart reviews of patients who presented to the pediatric ED at University Hospital in Newark, NJ, during an 18-month study period.
-
ED-based Screening Efforts Help Identify Patients With HIV, Reduce Risk of Transmissions
Although an estimated 85% of people infected with HIV in the United States are aware of their diagnosis, more than 160,000 people remain unaware, leaving them without needed treatment and raising the risk of further transmissions. Experts note there are many missed opportunities to diagnose these patients and connect them to care, as patients at high risk for the virus often are not offered tests when they visit a healthcare provider. However, ED-based HIV screening programs are making progress in this area, with some using new-generation tests to identify more cases, even at the earliest acute stage.
-
EDs Confront Surge in Hospitalizations and Deaths From Flu-related Complications
By mid-January, flu was widespread in every state except Hawaii, posing big challenges to frontline providers doing their best to stay ahead of the deluge in patients. Hospitals are using an array of strategies to manage spikes in volume. Some are canceling elective surgeries and limiting visitation, while others are creating additional treatment areas in their EDs to manage the demand.
-
Use Simple Strategies to Manage Frequent Interruptions, Minimize Potential for Errors
Research shows that emergency physicians may be interrupted 10-15 times per hour, leading to the potential for errors and patient harm. However, experts note that an array of relatively simple strategies can help clinicians better manage these interruptions to both minimize related mistakes and potentially ease the frustration that results from continuous interruptions.