Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Apr 2019
Multicenter StudyLonger time to transfer from the emergency department after bed request is associated with worse outcomes.
To determine the relationships between: (i) total ED length of stay (EDLOS) and in-hospital mortality, ward clinical deterioration; and (ii) between time of bed request, ward transfer and in-hospital mortality, with a particular focus on patients transferred just prior to a 4 h EDLOS. ⋯ Both shorter time in ED and shorter time between bed request and ward transfer were independently associated with improved outcomes. Whole of hospital measures to reduce length of stay in the ED should focus on shorter ward transfer times after bed request.
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Emerg Med Australas · Apr 2019
New Fellows Early Career Survey 2014-2017: Shift of trends in emergency medicine workforce.
Within the complex and dynamic emergency medicine workforce setting, the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) New Fellows (FACEMs) Early Career Survey was established in 2014 to capture information on the work profiles, future career plans and challenges experienced among new FACEMs. ⋯ A shift in the employment profile of early career Fellows was observed between 2014 and 2017, with the potential push factor of limited specialist positions in metropolitan areas now starting to result in an increase in new FACEMs choosing to work in regional and rural areas and in the number working across multiple workplaces.
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Emerg Med Australas · Apr 2019
Observational StudyPatients admitted via the emergency department to the intensive care unit: An observational cohort study.
Timely and appropriate assessment and management within the ED impacts patient outcomes including in-hospital mortality and length of stay (LOS). Within the ED, several processes facilitate timely recognition of the need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission. This study describes characteristics and outcomes for patient presentations admitted to ICU from ED, categorised by Australasian Triage Score (ATS), ICU admission time and ICU admission source. ⋯ Most patients are appropriately identified in ED as requiring ICU admission, although around one in four were triaged ATS 3/4. Patients admitted to the ward first tended to have poorer outcomes than those directly admitted to ICU. Factors predicting the need for ICU admission should be identified to support clinical decision-making.
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Emerg Med Australas · Apr 2019
Impact of an emergency department-run clinical decision unit on access block, ambulance ramping and National Emergency Access Target.
ED access block is an ongoing significant problem and has been associated with excess mortality. Multiple models of care have been studied in an effort to improve access block and other key performance indicators (KPIs) of ED. ⋯ In summary, this ED led, consultant run CDU model of care resulted in significantly improved performance on a range of KPIs, including improvement in access block and NEAT figures. The substantial improvements in ambulance ramping and escalations also indicated that the department was able to cope better with periods of high activity.
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Emerg Med Australas · Apr 2019
Why do paramedics choose to bring patients to a private emergency department?
While prior experience, favourable location and anticipation of high quality care are known to influence patient choice to attend a private ED, it is likely that decision-making is also influenced by other persons. In particular, patients arriving by ambulance are under the care of paramedics, whose values towards healthcare and rationale for choosing one ED over another have not been studied. This study aimed to describe reasons why paramedics choose to bring patients to a private ED. ⋯ Paramedics take into consideration when possible patient's wishes and are more likely to bring a patient to a private ED if they have specific direction from the patient or the patient's family or GP. The likelihood of presenting to a private ED is increased if the patient has an allegiance with the facility and the paramedics perceive favourably the hospital logistics and systems as well as service ethos.