Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2019
ReviewReview article: Interventions for people presenting to emergency departments with a mental health problem: A systematic scoping review.
The number of people presenting to EDs with mental health problems is increasing. To enhance and promote the delivery of safe and efficient healthcare to this group, there is a need to identify evidence-based, best-practice models of care. This scoping review aims to identify and evaluate current research on interventions commenced or delivered in the ED for people presenting with a mental health problem. ⋯ The effectiveness of interventions varied. There is considerable, yet disconnected, evidence around ED interventions to support people with mental health problems. A lack of integrated, multifaceted, person-centred interventions is an important barrier to providing effective care for this vulnerable population who present to the ED.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2019
Australian private emergency departments can assist ambulance services by taking public emergency patients during surge and disasters.
We describe a novel ambulance diversion programme, piloted in Victoria. This article discusses creating increased emergency capacity during surge or disasters by utilising private EDs, tested during a recent thunderstorm asthma disaster and an influenza epidemic. ⋯ It is feasible to create surge capacity in private EDs for public ambulance patients. Other states could consider this option to help manage health disasters.