ED management : the monthly update on emergency department management
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A new study shows that ED patients have more confidence in their medical evaluation when a CT study is included but that they have scant understanding of the radiation exposure. Patient-focused education could be effective at curbing unnecessary use of imaging as well as the pressure clinicians might feel to order such studies. ⋯ Consumer-focused interventions prompt patients to track their own imaging history on cards that they carry with them. Radiology and technologist champions can help implement safety precautions that minimize radiation exposure.
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The ED at Carolinas Medical Center-Union, Monroe, NC, has implemented several processes and strategies in recent years that have earned it recognition for service excellence. Some of those strategies are: when beds are available,"pulling"patients straight to the back and performing triage in the room; introducing point of care devices for troponin, which cut 40 minutes off diagnostic time; creating a spreadsheet that tracked length of stay and patients leaving without being seen, broken down by shift.