Emergency Department Management & Law
RSSArticles
-
Some Psychiatric Patients Can Bypass ED Altogether
Researchers considered protocols that bypass the ED by allowing EMS to directly transport patients to a specialized regional center for evaluation of psychiatric emergencies. The protocols are somewhat controversial.
-
Discharge of Psychiatric Patients Is Legal Landmine for EDs
If a patient with psychiatric symptoms experiences a poor outcome shortly after discharge from an ED, allegations of inadequate medical screening are possible. Good documentation is the best protection against these allegations.
-
Better Patient Experience Mitigates Malpractice Risk
Any ED would benefit from teaching emergency physicians to be more aware of how patients perceive them. Engaging in role-playing exercises are helpful. Record the exercises so they can be critiqued.
-
Incomplete Medication Lists Can Lead to Allegations of Negligence
Just 23% of older adults in the ED gave a medication list that mirrored pharmacy records, according to the results of an analysis. More than half the patients omitted antibiotics they were taking at the time of the visit. Not knowing about a medicine can lead to dangerous therapy or misdiagnosis.
-
ED Nurses Also Face Liability for Misdiagnosis
The idea that it is not within the nurses’ scope of practice to contribute to diagnosis is both dangerous and wrong.
-
Patients’ Easy Access to Records Means Complaints — and Chance to Avoid Litigation
Patients will no longer have to go through the discovery process during litigation to find out everything ED providers charted. Still, with patients reviewing all the clinical documentation, plenty of misunderstandings can happen.
-
Acupuncture as a Pain Management Alternative
The goal is to provide data that will convince payors to reimburse acupuncture treatment in the emergency environment, a stumbling block that has thus far prevented larger-scale implementation. Additionally, researchers hope their work leads to fewer unnecessary opioid prescriptions.
-
Excessive Urine Testing Drives Unnecessary Antibiotic Use, Elongates Length of Stay
Investigators suspect this pattern may be related to the desire to establish an explanation for whatever symptoms have prompted patients to seek care. Clinicians and patients alike want clear diagnoses and definitive solutions to fix problems.
-
Teletriage Applications Help EDs Improve Efficiency, Respond to COVID-19 Pandemic
As the demand for virtual care has accelerated, teletriage has melded well with other telemedicine innovations that may permanently change many of the ways in which emergency care is delivered. Some early adopters explain what pushed them out of the gate early, how teletriage has helped them manage the challenges posed by COVID-19, and how they see the approach evolving.
-
CDC Revises COVID-19 Quarantine Recommendations
Now, quarantine can end after 10 days without a COVID-19 test if the person has reported no symptoms, or after seven days with a negative test if the person has reported no symptoms.