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Was a frequent ED patient discharged after complaining of chest pain, and later suffered a myocardial infarction (MI)? In this scenario, the emergency physician (EP) can expect a lawsuit if she sent the patient home without assessing and treating the patient as she would any other patient with the same complaint, says Jonathan T. Brollier, JD, an attorney at Bricker & Eckler in Columbus, OH.
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The fast pace of a busy ED can make it difficult to focus in on processes that could be improved, but leadership and commitment can move the needle in the right direction as long as emergency personnel understand why change is important.
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The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, GA, reports that every year more than 130,000 children younger than the age of 13 are rushed to the ED for treatment following motor vehicle accidents on the nations roadways.
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Fortunately, terrorist attacks are not a common occurrence in America. But ever since the World Trade Center towers were struck down by extremists in September 2001 in New York City, hospitals around the country have been honing the way they drill so that they will not be caught off guard in the unlikely event that a terrorist act triggers mass casualties in their region.
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Two days after bombs went off near the finish line at the Boston Marathon, another horrific disaster rocked the tiny community of West, TX. In that incident, a reported fire at a fertilizer plant was followed by a huge explosion that leveled four blocks of the city. The blast killed 14 people, most of whom were emergency responders, and injured more than 200 others.
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There are specific injury mechanisms that should lead the practitioner to suspect the presence of intra-abdominal injury, such as a handlebar injury to the upper abdomen and seat belt signs from a motor vehicle accident.
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A new study strongly suggests that for children who present to the ED with minor blunt head traumas, a short period of observation can make an important difference in helping clinicians determine whether to order computed tomography (CT) scans or not.
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While EDs are designed to respond to acute care needs, they are often inundated by patients with complex medical, social, and behavioral health problems that require comprehensive solutions. Not surprisingly, the results of this mismatch can involve long wait times, inefficient care, and less than satisfactory outcomes.
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Malpractice claims alleging missed or delayed diagnosis of sepsis, in which a patient is initially brought to the emergency department (ED) and ultimately dies or suffers a highly adverse outcome, can rarely be traced to a single mistake, according to Damian D. Capozzola, JD, of The Law Offices of Damian D. Capozzola in Los Angeles, CA.
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Since ancient times, caring for alcohol-intoxicated patients in the emergency department has always been troubling and risky for emergency physicians and hospital staff. In a high-profile case in New York, the state's highest court essentially held that physicians and hospitals are not thy intoxicated brother's keeper.
