J Emerg Med
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This article reviews the empirical literature on patient satisfaction in the Emergency Department (ED). It explores the implications for clinical practice, discusses limitations and weaknesses of the literature, and provides direction for future research. Articles resulting from a comprehensive electronic search were obtained, their references examined, and all other relevant articles not already discovered via the electronic search were acquired and reviewed. ⋯ Promising interventions include: providing information on how the ED functions through visual media, improving ED processes through performance improvement methodologies, and improving the interpersonal skills of providers. Interventions designed to reduce actual waiting times have not been sufficiently studied, but results from several well-designed studies suggest that such a strategy is unlikely to have as great an impact as those targeting perceived waiting times. To advance this area of research, investigators must use: 1) larger, more representative samples; 2) reliable and valid assessment instruments; 3) theory-driven hypothesis testing; and 4) randomized, controlled trials.
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In 2000, a series of cases of necrotizing fasciitis (NF) among injection users of black tar heroin was observed in our Emergency Department (ED). The description of these cases characterizes the ED presentation of NF, focusing on the sensitivity of physical signs and ED diagnostic tests. All cases of pathologically determined NF in 2000 were prospectively and retrospectively identified and analyzed. ⋯ Thirty-seven percent of blood cultures and 75% of surgical wound cultures were positive, revealing a variety of organisms. Although tachycardia, leukocytosis, and elevated lactate levels are common in NF patients, fever and soft tissue gas are not. Tests and traditional teaching regarding the "classic" findings of NF should be amended to reflect differences seen in the setting of injection drug use with black tar heroin.
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The objectives of the present study were to determine the behavioral and psychological risk factors associated with injury. The most widely investigated risk factor for injury is alcohol use. However, other behavioral and psychological risk factors may also contribute to injuries. ⋯ The results from a multivariate analysis controlling for age, gender, and ethnicity indicated that, in addition to alcohol consumption (OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.1-4.5), driving (OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.7-3.5) and violence-related risk behaviors (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.0-2.2) are significantly associated with injury. In conclusion, the engagement in injury-related risk behaviors, including alcohol use, is strongly associated with injury status. Brief interventions that directly address these behavioral risk patterns in injured patients may reduce their risk of future injury.