Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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Children victimized by violence are often treated in the emergency department (ED). However, our understanding of the magnitude and financial costs of this patient population is inadequate. The authors examined the scope, risk factors for, and financial cost of ED visits for intentional injury in children in the United States over time. ⋯ ED visits among children for violent injury still represent an important clinical, public health, and economic challenge. The ED could be considered as a potential venue for prevention and intervention efforts.
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The objective was to describe the proportions of successful linkage to care (LTC) and identify factors associated with LTC among newly diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients, from two urban emergency department (ED) rapid HIV screening programs. ⋯ In spite of dedicated resources for arranging LTC in the ED HIV testing programs, nearly 50% of patients did not have successful LTC (i.e., LTC occurred at >30 days), although >80% of patients were LTC within 1 year of initial diagnosis. Further evaluation of the barriers associated with successful LTC for those with public insurance and self-pay is warranted.
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To assess whether the accelerated diagnostic protocol (ADP) studied in the Asia Pacific Evaluation of Chest Pain Trial (ASPECT) could be optimized to effectively risk stratify patients with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and allow early discharge of very-low-risk patients. ⋯ An ADP consisting of a TIMI risk score of 0, no new ECG changes, and negative troponin at 0 and 2 hours postpresentation safely identifies patients at low risk of ACS, in whom discharge without further evaluation can be considered.
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Teamwork and communication often play a role in adverse clinical events. Due to the multidisciplinary and time-sensitive nature of trauma care, the effects of teamwork and communication can be especially pronounced in the treatment of the acutely injured patient. Our hypothesis was that an in situ trauma simulation (ISTS) program (simulating traumas in the trauma bay with all members of the trauma team) could be implemented in an emergency department (ED) and that this would improve teamwork and communication measured in the clinical setting. ⋯ This study shows that an ISTS program can be implemented with participation from all members of a multidisciplinary trauma team in the ED of a Level I trauma center. While teamwork and communication in the clinical setting were improved during the ISTS program, this effect was not sustained after ISTS were stopped.
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The authors analyzed all medical malpractice claims from 2000 to 2008 using cases from the national database of the judicial system of Taiwan. The objective was to describe the factors associated with malpractice claims in Taiwan, a non-Western country that does not have a common law heritage. ⋯ Most lawsuits involved death or permanent injury. Eighty-two percent of the cases were settled in the physician's favor.