Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2014
Observational StudyScribes in an Australian private emergency department: A description of physician productivity.
The study aims to determine if trained scribes in an Australian ED can assist emergency physicians (EPs) to work with increased productivity. ⋯ In this pilot study, scribe usage was feasible, and overall improvements in consultations per hour were seen. Overall income improved by AUD104.86 (95% CI AUD38.52, AUD171.21) per scribed hour. Further study is recommended to determine if results are sustained or improved over a longer period.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2014
Observational StudyChallenges in arranging interhospital transfer from a non-tertiary hospital emergency department in the Perth metropolitan area.
To describe the organisational demands on staff when arranging interhospital transfers (IHTs) from an ED. ⋯ While most IHTs are straightforward, critically ill transfers require considerable time, effort and teamwork to arrange.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2014
Psychological distress, burnout level and job satisfaction in emergency medicine: A cross-sectional study of physicians in China.
Chinese physicians are not only facing heavy work overloads, but also abuse and injury because of patient mistrust of physicians. The primary objective of the present study was to measure psychological distress, burnout levels and job satisfaction among Chinese emergency physicians. ⋯ Psychological distress is prevalent in this group of ED physicians, and it deserves attention from the whole society. Burnout and job satisfaction among ED physicians are at a 'moderate' level. Burnout is negatively associated with higher job satisfaction.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2014
Clearing emergency departments and clogging wards: National Emergency Access Target and the law of unintended consequences.
To assess ED length of stay (EDLOS), access block, inpatient length of stay (IPLOS) and waiting times before and after the implementation of the National Emergency Access Target (NEAT). ⋯ At the current institution NEAT success has been guarded, likely secondary to availability of inpatient beds. The implementation of NEAT appears to have reduced emergency waiting times. These early results suggest concurrent a detrimental effect on IPLOS; however, some of this effect may be a result of a large increase in short stay admissions.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2014
Resource implications of a national health target: The New Zealand experience of a Shorter Stays in Emergency Departments target.
The Shorter Stays in Emergency Departments health target was introduced in New Zealand in 2009. District Health Boards (DHBs) are expected to meet the target with no additional funding or incentives. The costs of implementing such targets have not previously been studied. ⋯ The fact that estimated expenditure on the target was over $50 million without additional funding suggests that DHBs were able to make savings through improved efficiencies and/or that funds were reallocated from other services. The majority of expenditure occurred in the ED. Most of the funds were spent on staff, and this was associated with improved target performance.