Emergency medicine clinics of North America
-
This article analyzes past legal trends in emergency medicine with an effort to project those trends and current developments into future legal issues that will confront emergency physicians and emergency departments. Special emphasis is placed on insurance trends and professional liability insurance developments along with medical malpractice claims past, present, and future. Also discussed in this article is the health care industry environment and ways that it might affect future legal challenges for emergency medicine.
-
Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Nov 1993
ReviewRisk management and high-risk issues in emergency medicine.
Risk management in the emergency department is defined in this article. The health care professional should focus on the health and best interests of the patient.
-
Nail bed and fingertip injuries are commonly seen in the Emergency Department. Each of these injuries must be evaluated carefully not only for the acute situation but for the possible long-term effects. ⋯ Fingertip injuries must provide the patient with a sensitive fingertip with sufficient length for effective use of the finger. The initial care and treatment are vital for the best patient outcome.
-
Unique injuries resulting from high-pressure injection, wringer washers, cornpickers, and snowblowers are presented. Epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and management are reviewed. These injuries commonly require surgical intervention. Prompt recognition and treatment can greatly influence prognosis.
-
Flexor tendon injuries can be problematic injuries from the time of occurrence until the patient returns to full and complete recovery. There are many misadventures that can occur along the way. ⋯ An appropriate referral should be initiated soon after an injury is determined. The hand surgeon has many considerations and obstacles in flexor tendon repairs, but good to excellent results can be expected in up to 80% of patients if the emergency physician and the hand surgeon work together to ensure an optimal patient outcome.