Emergency Medicine - Adult and Pediatric
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Clinical Practice Guidelines for Platelet Transfusion
Based on a recent systematic review of the literature, clinical guidelines were developed by the American Association of Blood Banks with the goal of providing platelet transfusion thresholds for adult patients in common clinical scenarios. -
Should Long-acting Bronchodilators Be Used in Acute Exacerbations of COPD?
In this study of administrative data from patients admitted to 421 U.S. hospitals with acute chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations, 41% received long-acting bronchodilators, which are not recommended in this setting. Comparison with patients who did not receive the long-acting agents showed no evidence for clinical or economic benefit from their use. -
Statins Not Helpful in Treating ARDS
Although studies in animals and preliminary reports in patients with ARDS suggested that statin administration might be beneficial in patients with the syndrome, this multicenter, double-blind clinical trial showed no benefit from simvastatin by any measure examined. -
Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism in the ICU
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the third most common cardiovascular condition behind myocardial infarction and stroke, with an incidence rate of about one per 1000 person-years.1,2 Nearly 5% of the population will experience -
Poor Systems for ED "Bounceback" Patients Can Result in Suits
Patients who present to the emergency department (ED) more than once in a short amount of time for the same complaint or symptoms present some unique liability risks for emergency physicians (EPs), warns Kathleen Shostek, RN, ARM, CPHRM, senior consultant in the healthcare risk management and patient safety division of Sedgwick, a Memphis-based third party administrator for professional liability claims. -
Possible Malpractice Suit? Contacting the Right Person Can Make Claim More Defensible
Is malpractice litigation a real possibility due to an error made in the emergency department (ED) that harmed a patient? -
ED Legal Letter - Full December 1, 2014 Issue in PDF
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Can Patients Successfully Sue if Exposed to Ebola in ED Waiting Room?
An Ebola patient presents to an emergency department (ED) and is either misdiagnosed and discharged or is not appropriately isolated and infects others. What is the liability risk for the emergency physician (EP)? -
Do Hospitals Have an Obligation to Check the Patient’s Insurance Status Before Transfer From the ED?
In a fascinating case that raises more questions than provides answers, a Louisiana appellate court grappled with the issue of whether the Louisiana Medicaid program was required to pay for the out-of-state inpatient care provided to its Medicaid enrollee in Georgia after transfer from a Louisiana hospital emergency department. -
Side Effects of Opioids
More than 40% of ED visits are related to pain.1 The Joint Commission has made the assessment and treatment of pain in the ED one of its standards.2 The use of opioid medications has been increasing in both adults and children.3-5 In 2009 there were more than 200 million prescriptions for opioid medications, with enough medication dispensed to supply every adult in the United States with the equivalent of 5 mg of hydrocodone every four hours for one month.