Emergency Medicine - Adult and Pediatric
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When Urgent Care Center Refers Patient to ED, Reasons Might Be Unclear
Ensure all ED patients experience the best attainable outcomes, and devote extra thought to scenarios in which mistakes are less likely to be forgiven. For patients sent by urgent care centers, be sure to fully understand why the patient is there.
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‘Total Breakdown in Communication’ Led to Settlement of Advance Directive Case
EDs can learn a lot from this particular case about how to avoid litigation for disregarding advance directives.
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EDs Face Legal Trouble if Patient’s Advance Directive Not Followed
Emergency physicians worry about litigation because they did not save a patient’s life. However, few realize there are considerable legal risks if aggressive end-of-life care is provided against the patient’s wishes. Several recent million-dollar settlements have involved ED patients who were resuscitated or intubated against the documented wishes in their advance directives.
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Many Patients Worry About Hospital Bill During ED Visit
To prevent EMTALA problems, train staff well, giving them carefully drafted scripts to use for patients who insist on discussing insurance coverage before a medical screening exam.
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Copay Collection Cannot Delay Care, or Hospital Risks EMTALA Violation
Registrars should bring up payment or insurance only after a medical screening exam and stabilizing treatment has been provided. This means a patient should not be asked about copays or payment during the exam or while undergoing treatment.
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Developers Unveil Universal Screening Tool for Suicide Risk
Suicide remains the second-leading cause of death among adolescents, but many at risk remain unidentified. One solution is universal screening in the ED, a place nearly 20% of all U.S. adolescents visit annually. Investigators developed the Computerized Adaptive Screen for Suicidal Youth tool, which enables teens to undergo the screening on a tablet computer, with results immediately available.
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Multilayered Approach to 911 Calls Targets Social Needs, Cuts ED Visits
Many EDs fill up with patients without serious medical concerns, but social or mental health problems clinicians may not be well-equipped to address. Putting social workers and other resources on scene to address these needs can expedite an appropriate response. Another potential solution is to meet these patients where they are, eliminating the need for an ED visit altogether.
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Start Small, Employ Relevant Personnel to Manage Complex Social Problems
Every hospital relies on a problem-solving method for performance improvement. The key is putting the right people on an intervention.
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Address Social Determinants of Health with Multidisciplinary Team, Community Partnerships
An ED Social Medicine team tackles social issues that often sabotage positive health outcomes and prompt repeat ED visits. The team includes clinicians, social workers, mental healthcare providers, patient navigators, a pharmacist, and transitional care personnel.
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Epistaxis: Evaluation and Management in Patients Taking Antiplatelet Drugs
Although the complaint of epistaxis may be perceived as less severe when compared to other emergency department complaints, it still poses a challenge requiring expertise in its acute management.