Articles: emergency-medical-services.
-
Review Comparative Study
[New methods of conducting cardiopulmonary resuscitation].
-
QA activities in EMS systems are severely hampered unless a central agency exists to coordinate data collection, funding, and communication between agencies and field providers. EMS systems must address these issues successfully to maximize their efforts. Some regions (San Francisco, King County, Washington, Burbank, California) have developed dedicated organizations for the evaluation of prehospital care. ⋯ One survey found an improved sense of teamwork after initiating these programs. Patients must receive quality emergency medical care from the moment they enter the health care system. Leadership by the medical community is crucial if this goal is to be realized.
-
Comprehensive therapy · Apr 1992
ReviewPriorities and diagnostic studies in the management of the injured patient.
The traumatized patient is best served by an orderly and sequential resuscitation and evaluation. Primary priorities include the establishment of a secure airway, adequate ventilation and hemodynamic status. These considerations should be followed by a brief history, systemic physical examination and radiographic studies. ⋯ In penetrating trauma, traversing missiles mandate surgical exploration. Stab wounds may be managed by several alternative methods. Emergency thoracotomy has a limited role in the blunt trauma patient but may be life saving in those suffering penetrating trauma.
-
The effect of trauma may be graded by the extent of anatomical injury caused or functional derangement created. The anatomical scoring is useful in determining the trauma load in a hospital and for comparisons between hospitals. It correlates well with the need for resources. ⋯ These two may be combined into the TRISS method for assessing probability of survival. Under conditions of war, patients are divided into groups which either have to be operated, which can wait or which have to wait. War wounds are graded according to the extent of soft tissue damage, involvement of deeper structures and whether the wound contains foreign bodies.