Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Prognostic models are commonly used in the clinical setting. The objective of the study is to evaluate the prognostic accuracy of the Rapid Emergency Medical Score (REMS) or alternate models. ⋯ The availability of a validated tool such as Retrieval REMS assists recognition of high-risk patients and consideration of this risk in retrieval mission planning and response.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2015
Why do Queenslanders seek care in emergency departments? A population study.
The present study aims to identify the main reasons for which first time and multiple users seek medical care through Queensland EDs. ⋯ Patients who sought care for multiple times at EDs more often than first time users suffered from additional and chronic conditions. Their opinion of an ED as the most suitable place to address their current health problem was stronger than first time users. Any proposed demand management strategies need to address these beliefs together with the reasoning of patients to provide effective and appropriate care outside or within ED services.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2015
Management of mental health patients in Victorian emergency departments: A 10 year follow-up study.
Despite efforts to restructure mental health (MH) services across Victoria, the social and economic burden of MH illness continues to grow. This study compares MH presentations to EDs with a study undertaken 10 years earlier. ⋯ Despite increasing MH-related presentations, changes in ED practice have allowed improvements in delivery of care through a shortened ED length of stay and the virtual elimination of very long stays over 24 h. However, there continues to be significant variability in management and performance across hospital sites. Identifying which interventions lead to standout site performance, and subsequent application more broadly, may improve future ED delivery of care.