Emergency medicine clinics of North America
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Burnout is a work-related condition. Although stress may be a part of emergency medicine, excessive levels of chronic stress can lead to maladaptive behaviors and burnout. ⋯ Efforts can then be made to identify modifiable or unnecessary sources of stress to help reduce chronic stress and burnout. Solutions should be found to eliminate or ameliorate individual-level and system-level sources of stress.
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Being named in a medical malpractice case is one of the most stressful events in a physician's career. This article reviews the legal system and the medical malpractice process. It details the steps a physician experiences during a medical malpractice case, from being served to the deposition and then to trial and appeals if the physician loses. This article also reviews necessary steps to take in order to proactively participate in one's own defense.
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · May 2020
ReviewHigh-Risk Chief Complaints III: Neurologic Emergencies.
A careful history and thorough physical examination are necessary in patients presenting with acute neurologic dysfunction. Patients presenting with headache should be screened for red-flag criteria that suggest a dangerous secondary cause warranting imaging and further diagnostic workup. ⋯ Most patients presenting with back pain do not require emergent imaging, but those with new neurologic deficits or signs/symptoms concerning for acute infection or cord compression warrant MRI. Delay to diagnosis and treatment of acute ischemic stroke is a frequent reason for medical malpractice claims.
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This article focuses on confidentiality and capacity issues affecting patients receiving care in the emergency department. The patient-physician relationship begins with presumed confidentiality. ⋯ This article then discusses risk management issues relevant to determining a patient's capacity to accept or decline medical care in the emergency department setting. Situations pertaining to refusal of care and discharges against medical advice are examined in detail, and best practices for mitigating risk in informed consent and barriers to consent are reviewed.