Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2012
Multicenter StudyImpact of pain location, organ system and treating speciality on timely delivery of analgesia in emergency departments.
This retrospective, observational cohort study investigated whether the clinical features of a patient's pain, including anatomical location, organ system and likely treating speciality, impact on the delivery of analgesia within 30 min in EDs. ⋯ Patients presenting with burns, orthopaedic conditions or with a limb location of pain are more likely to receive analgesia within 30 min in Australian EDs. Clinicians should be aware of possible trends in the delivery of timely analgesia to patients with pain.
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Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2012
Randomized Controlled TrialHow fast does oral dexamethasone work in mild to moderately severe croup? A randomized double-blinded clinical trial.
For children with croup controversy remains over dosage and time to onset of action of oral steroids. The Cochrane Collaboration and other reviews have suggested 0.6 mg/kg dexamethasone be used (despite some evidence that 0.15 mg/kg is effective) with no expectation of benefit before 4-6 h. This randomized double-blinded clinical trial examines whether 0.15 mg/kg dexamethasone works by 30 min. ⋯ For children with croup an oral dose of 0.15 mg/kg dexamethasone offers benefit by 30 min, much earlier than the 4 h suggested by the Cochrane Collaboration. This result might encourage doctors to treat more children with all severities of croup being less worried about potential side-effects and delayed benefit.
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Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2012
Health reform: is routinely collected electronic information fit for purpose?
Little has been reported about the completeness and accuracy of data in existing Australian clinical information systems. We examined the accuracy of the diagnoses of some chronic diseases in an ED information system (EDIS), a module of the NSW Health electronic medical record (EMR), and the consistency of the reports generated by the EMR. ⋯ Variations in information quality and consistency of the EDIS/EMR raise concerns about the 'fitness for purpose' of the information for care and planning, information sharing, research and quality assurance.