Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2024
Short waits, happy patients and expert care, moving basic musculoskeletal care from the emergency department to a physiotherapist-led diversion pathway.
Patients with musculoskeletal conditions (MSKCs) are highly prevalent in ED. This project explores the impact of the pilot phase of a 'diversion pathway', which directed patients with MSKCs from the ED waiting room to an outpatient clinic led by advanced-scope physiotherapists. ⋯ A new pathway resulted in reduced LOS, reduced DNW, high patient satisfaction and more people being discharged within 4 h for diverted patients compared to usual ED care. The pathway increased ED capacity, improved key ED performance metrics and safely expedited care delivery for patients.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2024
A descriptive study of domestic and family violence presentations to an emergency department in the Northern Territory.
Examine the nature of domestic and family violence (DFV) presentations to an ED in the Northern Territory and identify potential gaps in service delivery. ⋯ The data highlights the need for a 24 h trauma-informed, culturally safe and integrated service to support people experiencing DFV. This could be achieved by a specialist unit designed and staffed by First Nations health practitioners.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2024
Growing burden of gamma-hydroxybutyrate intoxication on emergency department resource utilisation.
Recreational gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) use is rising in Australia. We aimed to describe ED presentation patterns related to GHB over time and the impact this has on ED resource use. ⋯ GHB presentations to ED are rising and the impact on acute bed space and clinical resources is significant.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2024
Observational StudyThe effect of an extended-hours ED clinical pharmacy service on admission medication prescribing errors.
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a 7-day extended-hours clinical pharmacy service in the ED on medication prescribing errors upon hospital admission and time to medication reconciliation. ⋯ The 7-day extended-hours ED clinical pharmacy service was associated with a reduction in medication prescribing errors in high-needs patients and improved time to BPMH and medication reconciliation.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2024
Summer alcohol-related emergency department workload and occupancy in Australasia 2019-2022.
Alcohol is a major public health issue and the ACEM funds regular 'snapshot' surveys of the prevalence of alcohol-related presentations in EDs. The present study uses these data to investigate ED occupancy and alcohol- and methamphetamine-related presentations at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. ⋯ The present study demonstrates that the COVID-19 pandemic did not affect summer alcohol-related ED presentations in Australasia but was associated with an unsustainable increase in ED crowding.