Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2023
Emergency short stay area improves access and flow in a rural hospital.
Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital is a rural (MM3) 150-bed hospital in Nowra, New South Wales, whose ED has evolved to a FACEM-led model of care (MOC). It has never had an emergency short stay area (ESSA). The objective of the present study was to pilot an ESSA and determine whether this MOC would increase the operational performance of the ED. ⋯ The introduction of the ESSA significantly improved the ETP of admitted patients. Ongoing refinement of the ESSA admission processes, as well as the lifting of certain COVID-19 restrictions, could show even greater improvements in this and other areas. Ongoing research in this field is necessary, as well as a more detailed cost-benefit analysis.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2023
Definitive management of near-hanging at major versus non-major trauma centres.
The Victorian State Trauma System recommends that all major trauma patients receive definitive care at a major trauma service (MTS). The aim of the present study was to assess the outcomes of patients with major trauma after near-hangings who received definitive management at an MTS compared to a non-MTS. ⋯ After major trauma sustained from near-hanging, definitive management at an MTS did not offer a mortality benefit or better functional outcomes. Consistent with current practice, these findings suggest that most near-hanging related major trauma patients could be managed safely at a non-MTS.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2023
Mental health emergency presentations across the Barwon South West region in Victoria, Australia: An epidemiological investigation.
To examine mental health emergency presentations across the Barwon South West, Victoria, Australia - an area comprising a range of urban and rural localities. ⋯ Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders and mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use were the most frequent types of presentations recorded across the sample. RAHDaR represented a small but meaningful contribution to the data.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2023
Introduction of QScript real-time prescription monitoring system was associated with a fall in pregabalin poisoning presentations to a clinical toxicology unit.
To investigate the impact of QScript implementation on pregabalin-related poisoning presentations to the ED. ⋯ The introduction of QScript was associated with a reduction in pregabalin-related poisoning presentations.