J Emerg Med
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Previous investigators have assessed United States Case Law to evaluate the medicolegal risk surrounding point-of-care ultrasound applications. These studies have suggested that nonperformance is the primary source of an allegation of medical malpractice. ⋯ As previous studies have suggested, nonperformance of ultrasound seems to convey the greatest medicolegal risk. Extended, emerging, or adjunct applications of ultrasound may convey a slightly higher risk.
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Acute psychiatric presentations account for a significant number of emergency department (ED) visits. These patients require assessment by the emergency physician and often need further evaluation by a psychiatrist, who may request routine laboratory evaluation and an electrocardiogram (ECG). ⋯ Based upon the available literature, routine laboratory analysis and ECG for all patients presenting with a psychiatric complaint are not recommended. Clinicians should consider the individual patient, clinical situation, and comorbidities when deciding to obtain further studies such as laboratory analysis. © 2022 Elsevier Inc.
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Numerous studies have reported existing disparities in academic medicine. The purpose of this study was to assess racial and gender disparity in academic emergency medicine (EM) faculty positions across the United States from 2007 to 2018. ⋯ Despite an increase in proportional representation, the underrepresentation of female faculty members and those from minority groups persists in emergency medicine. Further studies are needed to identify and address the root causes of these differences.
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Pain management is critical to the management of patients in the emergency department (ED). The clinical decision-making process for prescribing medications is complicated by its subjective nature. Historically, racial and ethnic minority groups and women have not had their pain managed as aggressively as White and male patients. ⋯ Although differences in pain management practices have been explored previously, this study provided a large, updated, multifacility assessment that confirmed that race- and sex-based differences in pain management persist, specifically in the decision to treat with narcotics. Further investigation is warranted to determine the root causes of these differences.
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Women have higher mortality from acute coronary syndrome (ACS) compared with men. Women may hesitate to search for emergency care when experiencing chest pain, which delays treatment. ⋯ In this population-level study of Curitiba, Brazil, the reduction in ED visits during the COVID-19 pandemic was greater in women than in men, particularly among those > 70 years of age, suggesting that the sex- and age-related disparities in health care delivery for ACS may have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.