Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2019
Clinical risk for substance-affected patients attending an emergency department in the Northern Territory with police: A quality improvement initiative.
Determine clinical risk for patients presenting to Royal Darwin Hospital ED when they cannot be cared for at the police watch-house (WH) or sobering-up-shelter (SUS) because of a medical concern. ⋯ This is a common presentation at Royal Darwin Hospital ED by a patient group with high levels of comorbidity, homelessness and alcohol dependence. Nearly half self-discharged prior to medical assessment. These patients frequently re-attend the same facilities and enter into a cycle of non-intervention. Case management across services is needed to improve the opportunity that these patients receive appropriate medical, social and addiction interventions.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2019
Clinical decision rule for non-traumatic computed tomography of the brain.
The aims of the present study were to derive and validate a clinical decision rule (CDR) to rule out the need for computed tomography of the brain (CTB) in non-traumatic patients who present to the ED. ⋯ The CDR derived in the present study achieved the highest sensitivity and a moderate specificity when compared with four other pre-existing CDRs for non-traumatic brain injury patients.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2019
The Pacific Emergency Medicine Mentoring Program: A model for medical mentoring in the Pacific region.
To describe the development and implementation of a Pacific medical mentoring programme and to evaluate the programme after the first year. ⋯ The present study suggests a new model of Pacific mentoring that recognises the centrality of the mentoring relationship, and allows for flexible communication, shared responsibility of mentors and mentees as co-drivers and a broad understanding of goals and timelines. Future programmes should incorporate funding for in-person meetings and educational opportunities to enhance contextual and cultural understanding. These lessons can inform future medical mentorship programmes across the Pacific.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2019
Characteristics of short-term re-presentations to a regional emergency department.
The present study aims to describe the characteristics of early ED re-presentations in a regional hospital in New South Wales, Australia. ⋯ Re-presentations were common, but did not lead to increased admissions. The regional hospital in the present study had a higher 72 h ED re-presentation rate than the comparative major city hospital. In particular, paediatric and psychiatric re-presentations were a greater burden to the regional ED. This may be secondary to a lack of alternative services, particularly for these patient groups. Improving these outpatient services may help to reduce the burden of 72 h ED re-presentations.