Articles: hospital-emergency-service.
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Photography is a rapid, relatively simple, and inexpensive means of documenting patient care and enhancing medical education. Because of its use in medical records, photography affords the physician added defense against claims of medical malpractice. The emergency physician should have ready access to a photographic system as well as a basic knowledge of camera operation, filming procedures, picture composition, and medico-legal implications. These topics are discussed and specific recommendations are offered concerning the purchase of essential photographic equipment.
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A one year review of resuscitation in an emergency department (ED) was conducted. In the stabilization room (SR) within the ED at Hennepin County Medical Center, 852 cases were treated in the year ending July 31, 1978. ⋯ Of these, 12 deaths were unrelated to central nervous system causes. These had an average ISS of 42.8.
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Adherence to physician-developed process criteria is critical to the medical and legal acceptance of algorithm-directed nonphysician care of acute non-life-threatening illnesses seen in the emergency department. It is generally assumed that adherence to prescribed medical process criteria results in acceptable patient outcomes. ⋯ Our evaluation indicated that, under ideal circumstances of daily audit and supervisory feedback, a conformance rate of 80% was achieved. This is a 100% improvement over a group in which neither element was operative.