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No one wants to believe that a pediatric mass casualty incident will occur where they live and work, but, unfortunately, the recent events in Boston have shown that this is a very real possibility. In the event an incident occurs, preparation, response, and management of all of the victims, including the children, are critical and will define the future for each of the victims. The author reviews the basics for preparation and steps to recognize, prepare, and maximize the possibility of a good outcome in the event of a pediatric disaster.
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he American College of Surgeons in 2008 released the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) updates (eighth edition) with recommendations based on evidence-based medicine in addition to the expert consensus.
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Adolescent girls may not be straightforward about gynecologic issues, and the emergency practitioner should specifically and in a sensitive manner ask about the patients gynecologic history.
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No one wants to see the ED used inappropriately, but it can be particularly frustrating when patients keep coming back with problems that never seem to get resolved.
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In the wake of the horrific massacre of young children by a disturbed gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, there has been a national discussion about what the country can do to curb such senseless acts of violence.
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For the past few years, the ED at St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne, PA, has seen double-digit increases in patient volume. The surging demand has been difficult, to say the least. And by early 2012, administrators realized it was time for a change in course.
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A new analysis of Press Ganey patient surveys suggests that whether or not a patient receives painkillers when they present to the ED for care may have much less impact on patient satisfaction than previous thought.
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In its first year of operation, Washington states ER is for Emergencies initiative has helped to save the states Medicaid budget $33.6 million. The initiative, which is based on the implementation of seven best practices, has succeeded in part by improving care coordination and by linking EDs across the state so information can be shared electronically.
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In its first annual list of the top 10 patient safety concerns for health care organizations, the ECRI Institute, based in Plymouth Meeting, PA, placed health care information technology (IT) systems at the top of list, noting that while IT has great potential to improve patient safety, poorly designed systems or incorrect patient data can lead to patient harm.
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With their hectic schedules and demanding work responsibilities, emergency physicians are particularly vulnerable to symptoms of burnout. One study showed that more than half of emergency providers reported at least one symptom of burnout when they were asked to fill out a survey tool used to measure burnout more than any other type of provider.
