Emergency Medicine Commons^™

The Influence Of Hospital Site On Emergency Physician Press Ganey Scores, Dietrich Jehle, Brian Doherty, Lexus Dickson, Melville C. O'Brien, Casey Wilson, Scott Gutovitz

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

The use of physician satisfaction scores to evaluate emergency medicine physicians’ performance and compensation is controversial. Prior studies have shown that the clinical environment may influence scores. This study compared satisfaction scores for the same physician at different emergency departments (ED). Differences in their individual score may indicate the ED environment could be as important as the physician’s interaction.

Methods

Press Ganey satisfaction scores were obtained for physicians at three EDs—Grand Strand, South Strand and North Strand—between July 2018 and June 2019. Included physicians worked at all 3 facilities and had at least 6 patient satisfaction surveys at each …

Building Trauma And Ems Systems Capacity In Rwanda: Lessons And Recommendations, Sudha Jayaraman, Faustin Ntirenganya, Menelas Nkeshimana, Ashley Rosenberg, Theophile Dushime, Ignace Kabagema, Jean Marie Uwitonze, Eric Uwitonize, Jeanne D'Arc Nyinawankusi, Robert Riviello, Irene Bagahirwa, Kenneth L Williams, Elizabeth Krebs, Rebecca Maine, Paulin Banguti, Stephen Rulisa, Patrick Kyamanywa, Jean Claude Byiringiro

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

Background: Surgical capacity building has gained substantial momentum. However, care at the hospital level depends on improved access to emergency services. There is no established model for facilitating trauma and EMS system capacity in LMIC settings. This manuscript describes our model for multi-disciplinary collaboration to advance trauma and EMS capacity in Rwanda, along with our lessons and recommendations.

Methods: After high-level meetings at the Ministry of Health in Rwanda (MOH), in 2016, a capacity building plan focusing on improved clinical services, quality improvement/research and leadership capacity across prehospital and emergency settings. The main themes for the collaborative model included for …

Agents Of Exposure In Transgender Patient Cases Managed By A Toxicologist: An Analysis Of The Toxicology Investigator’S Consortium (Toxic) Registry, Gillian A. Beauchamp Md, Olivia A. Hardy, Alexandra M. Amaducci, Judith N. Sabino, Beth Careyva, Matthew D. Cook Do, Kenneth D. Katz Md, Marna Greenberg Do, Mph, Ryan M Surmaitis Do, Andrew Koons, Joseph B. Zackary Md

Department of Family Medicine

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of A Team Discharge Approach To Improve Ecc Throughput, Julie Lisbin, Msn, Rn, Cen

St. Joseph Hospital, Orange, CA. Evidence Based Practice Conference

No abstract provided.

Implementing Bedside Report In The Emergency Care Center 2.0: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Alexandra Rowen, Bsn, Rn, Cen

St. Joseph Hospital, Orange, CA. Evidence Based Practice Conference

No abstract provided.

Obsolete Or Essential? Gastrointestinal Decontamination In Severe Bupropion Ingestions: A Case Series, Alexandra Amaducci Do, Andrew F. Miller Do, Derek J. Fikse Do, Gillian A. Beauchamp Md

Department of Emergency Medicine

No abstract provided.

A Rare Complication In A Covid-19 Positive Patient With Sigmoid Colon Cancer-Hemoperitoneum Due To Gallbladder Necrosis Following Micro-Thrombosis, Mihai Faur, Andrei Moisin, Calin Mohor, Dan Sabau

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Covid-19, also known as acute respiratory syndrome 2019-nCoV, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) 2, and Wuhan pneumonia, is a viral respiratory disease caused by a SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The most serious complications of Covid-19 are due to the development of micro-thrombosis in various organs and systems as a result of the high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1 and 6) which initiate the activation of coagulation and the generation of thrombin. Several studies demonstrated the poor outcome of Covid-19-infected patients who underwent surgery, suggesting that surgery may accelerate and exacerbate Covid-19 progression. We report the case …

The Management Of Tubo-Ovarian Abscesses Associated With Appendicitis, Lucian Serbanescu, Diana Badiu, Stere Popescu, Dimitrie Busu, Andreea Cristina Costea

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

A relatively uncommon medical complication, the tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA) can result from ascending pelvic infection in the female genital tract. The paper aims at exploring the characteristics of patients with TOA and at comparing the outcomes of the surgical management with postoperative recovery. A retrospective analysis of 25 cases diagnosed with bilateral, right or left TOA at “St. Apostol Andrei” Emergency Clinical County Hospital Constanta, Romania between January 2019 and December 2020 was performed. The patients’ clinical characteristics, age, environment of origin, socio-economic background, educational level, the means of contraception used, surgical procedures, and postoperative recovery were analyzed. Out of …

The Impact Of Patient-Dependent Risk Factors On Morbidity And Mortality Following Gastric Surgery For Malignancies, Bogdan Dumitriu, Sebastian Valcea, Gabriel Andrei, Mircea Beuran

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Gastric cancer remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide. The treatment for gastric cancer is multimodal, in which gastrectomy remains the only curative approach. However, gastric resection is often associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates, depending on several factors. These factors can be attributed to the patient as comorbidities or effects of the disease upon him and, on the other hand, there are risk factors independent of the patient, such as aspects of the tumor (type, staging, location), experience of the surgical and anesthetic team, logistics of the hospital, yield of adjuvant therapies etc. We recognize the fact that …

Stress And Anxiety Among Physicians And Nurses In Romania During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Romina-Marina Sima, Octavian-Gabriel Olaru, Anca Cazaceanu, Cristian Scheau, Mihai-Traian Dimitriu, Mihai Popescu, Liana Ples

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Objective. This study aimed at identifying the stress and anxiety levels among physicians and nurses working in Romanian hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods and Results. We conducted an online survey with a questionnaire completed by 169 healthcare providers aged between 25 and 69 years from COVID and non-COVID hospitals. There were 87.6% physicians and 12.4% nurses, with 61.5% women and 38.5% men. Clinicians experienced high levels of stress in 2.7% of the cases, medium stress in 68.9% of the cases, and low stress in 28.4% of the cases. Women experienced more stress (2.9% high level, 66.3% medium level) than …

Mindfulness In The Emergency Department (Med): An Asynchronous Learning Course To Practise Mindfulness And Resilience In The Emergency Room Of Low Resource Setting, Syed Maaz Salahuddin, Shahan Waheed

Department of Emergency Medicine

Owing to the fast-paced, stressful, and frequent crucial rapid decisions that trigger cognitive exhaustion, emergency physicians are especially vulnerable to burnout. Mindfulness practices have been defined in the literature and it focuses on the well-being and resilience. Mindfulness is characterised as the ability to use tools and expertise to mentally respond to environmental problems to fulfil psychological needs. To overcome burnout, a self-directed learning course was developed for emergency physicians that will include learning goals on mindfulness, peer group discussions and tasks, role playing and practising meditation exercises. It would concentrate on the foundations of mindfulness and resilience, learning and …

Relative Risk Of Anxiety And Depression Among Covid-19 Survivor Healthcare Workers From A Tertiary Care Hospital In Pakistan: A Pilot Cohort Study, Farnaz Zahoor, Zahid Nazar, Sarwat Masud, Rehana Rahim

Department of Emergency Medicine

Longitudinal studies for determining the risk of anxiety and depression among COVID-19 survivor healthcare workers are lacking. This study aimed to determine the risk of anxiety and depression among healthcare workers that survived COVID-19 infection through a six-month post-recovery follow-up. This was a cohort study conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, from 1st March to 30th August 2020. A total of 64 subjects participated. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used for assessing the anxiety and depression symptoms. HADS has three score cutoff as normal, borderline abnormal and, abnormal anxiety/depression. For the purpose …

Hyperkalemia Management In The Emergency Department: An Expert Panel Consensus, Zubaid Rafique, Frank Peacock, Terra Armstead, Jason J Bischof, Joanna Hudson, Matthew R Weir, James Neuenschwander

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Hyperkalemia is a common electrolyte abnormality identified in the emergency department (ED) and potentially fatal. However, there is no consensus over the potassium threshold that warrants intervention or its treatment algorithm. Commonly used medications are at best temporizing measures, and the roles of binders are unclear in the emergent setting. As the prevalence of comorbid conditions altering potassium homeostasis rises, hyperkalemia becomes more common, and hence there is a need to standardize management. A panel was assembled to synthesize the available evidence and identify gaps in knowledge in hyperkalemia treatment in the ED. The panel was composed of 7 medical …

So Much Moulage, So Little Time: A Guide To Performing Moulage For Mass Casualty Scenarios., Josh Brooks, Asit Misra, Brad D Gable

Trauma and Acute Care Articles

Simulation has become a central component of healthcare education. Allowing learners to experience low-frequency high-risk situations, such as a mass casualty event, in a safe learning environment is a basic tenet of simulation-based education in healthcare. Creating realistic simulations often involves advanced moulage to accurately represent illness and injury. However, providing advanced moulage for mass casualty exercises can be time-consuming, resource-intensive, and costly. Here we discuss a novel means to execute moulage for multiple victims while maintaining a high level of realism. We executed two simultaneous mass casualty exercises as part of medical student education and employed our novel 3-step …

Coaching Junior Faculty For The Uncertainties Of Academic Professional Practice, Richard Mcknight, Dimitrios Papanagnou

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Sentinel Paper Review: Exploring Care Transitions From Patient, Caregiver, And Health-Care Provider Perspectives, Kevin T. Fuji, Aaron Malsch, Pamela Martin

Journal of Geriatric Emergency Medicine

No abstract provided.

Initiative To Increase The Rate Of Emergency Department Physician Preprocedure Time-Out Documentation., Arjun Sarin, Nikita Sharma, Shobhit Jain

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The preprocedure time-out is an important safety measure to verify patient identity and accuracy of a planned procedure. The time-out is an institutional and Joint Commission requirement. However, physicians in our emergency departments (EDs) document it inconsistently. We aimed to improve physician preprocedure time-out documentation for deep sedation (ketamine and/or propofol) from 75% to 90%, and separately for cutaneous abscess incision and drainage (I&D) from 94% to 98% by June 2020.

Methods: We analyzed 1 year of baseline data and weekly electronic medical record (EMR) reports from November 2019 through June 2020. Our outcome measures were the rate of physician …

Validation Of An Electronic Trigger To Measure Missed Diagnosis Of Stroke In Emergency Departments, Viralkumar Vaghani, Li Wei, Umair Mushtaq, Dean F Sittig, Andrea Bradford, Hardeep Singh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: Diagnostic errors are major contributors to preventable patient harm. We validated the use of an electronic health record (EHR)-based trigger (e-trigger) to measure missed opportunities in stroke diagnosis in emergency departments (EDs).

METHODS: Using two frameworks, the Safer Dx Trigger Tools Framework and the Symptom-disease Pair Analysis of Diagnostic Error Framework, we applied a symptom-disease pair-based e-trigger to identify patients hospitalized for stroke who, in the preceding 30 days, were discharged from the ED with benign headache or dizziness diagnoses. The algorithm was applied to Veteran Affairs National Corporate Data Warehouse on patients seen between 1/1/2016 and 12/31/2017. Trained …

Emergency Medicine And Covid-19: Now And Next Year, Theodore A. Christopher, Adrienne N. Christopher

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

The COVID-19 pandemic is responsible for infecting to date more than 93 million people worldwide and causing more than 2 million deaths. That the vast majority of deaths have occurred in the United States (U.S.) can be attributed to nonadherence by Americans to basic public health mitigation strategies that are known to curtail coronavirus spread. Emergency Departments (ED’s) throughout the U.S. experienced a dramatic decrease in patient visits during the first surge of COVID-19, followed by an ED patient visit rebound to approximately 80% of pre-COVID-19 numbers, which have remained relatively stable through the current second COVID-19 surge. The pandemic …

Barriers And Benefits Experienced In Qualitative Geriatric Emergency Care Research During The Covid-19 Era, James D. Van Oppen, Emma Regen, Kay Phelps, Timothy J. Coats, Jose M. Valderas, Simon P. Conroy, Nicola Mackintosh

Journal of Geriatric Emergency Medicine

No abstract provided.

Emergency Medicine Shift Factors Causing The Most Stress Among Emergency Medicine Residents, Mohamad Moussa, Kristen Hayden, Chia-Hao Shih, Sadik Khuder, Zayd Safadi, Connor Parsell

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Past studies demonstrate that stress and anxiety affect emergency medicine physicians, but the causal factors identified are usually from sources outside the work shift. We attempt to show the relationship between intrinsic factors of a work shift and anxiety perceived by residents, while also examining differing gender responses.

Methods: In 2018, a cross-sectional survey of emergency medicine residents in the United States was distributed anonymously through the Emergency Medicine Residents Association. The survey consisted of demographic questions, novel questions identifying intrinsic factors, and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale. Spearman correlation, independent t-test, and multivariate analysis of variance …

Improving Skin And Soft Tissue Antibiotic Duration Concordance With National Guidelines In Pediatric Urgent Care Clinics, Megan Hamner, Amanda Nedved, Holly Austin, Donna Wyly, Alaina N. Burns, Diana King, Brian Lee, Rana El Feghaly

Posters

Introduction: Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are the second most common diagnosis leading to pediatric antibiotic prescriptions in the outpatient setting after respiratory diagnoses. Children with SSTIs often receive >7 days of antibiotics, although current guidelines recommend 5-7 days for most diagnoses. At CMH urgent care clinics (UCCs), only 58% patients received the recommended 5-7 days of antibiotics. We aimed to increase the percentage of patients receiving 5-7 days of oral antibiotics for SSTIs from 58% to 75% by December 31st, 2021. Methods: We formed a multidisciplinary team in April 2020. A provider survey assessed factors influencing prescribing habits. …

Residency Training On The Frontlines Of The Covid-19 Pandemic - A Qualitative Study From Tanzania, Mariam Noorani, Hussein Manji, Elizabeth Mmari, Samina Somji, Nahida Z. Walli, Sherin Kassamali, Shabbir Adamjee, Nancy Matillya, Hanifa Mbithe, Aliasger Nagri, Neelam Ismail

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Introduction: the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic has affected residency training globally. The aim of this study was to understand how the pandemic affected teaching and learning in residency programs in low resource settings where residents and faculty were working on the front line treating patients with the disease.

Methods: this qualitative study enrolled residents and faculty from the Aga Khan University in Tanzania who were providing front line care during the pandemic. Purposeful sampling was used and data was collected using focus group discussions and in-depth interviews between August and September 2020. Analysis was done using qualitative content analysis.

Results: …

Can An Emergency Department Adequately Address An Older Adult Who Has Complex Needs?, Rami Tarabay, Adam Perry, Riwa Al Aridi, Michael Malone

Journal of Geriatric Emergency Medicine

Older adults account for a considerable percentage of all emergency departments (ED) patient encounters. Those with very complex needs or multiple co-morbid conditions often have lengthy ED evaluations culminating in admission, many of which are considered potentially avoidable. Provider and process elements can evolve to create efficient and more comprehensive geriatric assessments in ED. This paper describes an older adult with acute on chronic symptoms admitted through the ED to the Acute Care for Elders (ACE) inpatient unit. We illustrate how elements of the ACE model, when applied in the ED, may avoid hospitalization. We review the Domain Management Model …

Going Off The Deep End - The Life And Controversies Of Henry Heimlich, Md, Bradford L. Walters, Matthew Drogowski

Articles

No abstract provided.

Relationship Between Sexual Activity, Contraceptive Utilization And Biopsychosocial Characteristics Among Homeless Shelter Adolescents., Brittney A Gaudet, Nina Liu, Allison N Kayne, Taylor L Jarvill, Cecilia Zemanek, Jeffrey M Downen, Hoonani M Cuadrado, Amy B Smith, Marna R Greenberg, Jessica L Jacoby, Joanne N Quinones

Department of Emergency Medicine

Objective: To determine whether biopsychosocial factors are associated with sexual activity and contraceptive utilization among homeless shelter adolescents. Methods: A retrospective study of 440 adolescents at a shelter in Pennsylvania between February 2015 and September 2019 was conducted. The cohort was evaluated to determine what relationship age, gender identity, substance use, and trauma history have with sexual activity and contraceptive utilization. Results: Sexual activity was significantly related to age (mean 15.8+1.4 years in sexually active vs. 14.7+1.6 years in abstinent youth, p<0.001); remote history of self-harm behavior (relative risk ratio (RR) 1.23 [95% CI 1.03-1.46]; p=0.02), history of aggressive behavior (RR 1.21 [95% CI 1.01-1.46]; p=0.04), history of trauma (RR 1.24 [95% CI 1.04-1.48]; p=0.03), and substance use (RR 2.27 [95%CI 1.86-2.77]; p<0.001). There were 55.7% sexually active females vs. 42.50% males reporting contraception use (p=0.01). After adjustment, older age and substance use remained significantly associated with sexual activity (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.58 [95% CI 1.36-1.83]; p<0.001 and AOR 5.18 [95% CI 3.28-8.18]; p<0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Females self-reported sexual activity using contraception more than males. After adjustment, older age and substance use were associated with sexual activity. By better understanding the impact these factors can have on contraceptive utilization, informed policy and practice interventions can be developed and implemented to help increase safe sex practices in spaces where homeless adolescents access healthcare.

A Simplified Approach To Identification Of Risk Status In Patients With Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, Aparna Sajja, Hsin-Fang Li, Kateri J Spinelli, Amir Ali, Salim S Virani, Seth S Martin, Ty J Gluckman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: The 2018 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC) Blood Cholesterol Guideline recommendation to classify patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) as very high-risk (VHR) vs not-VHR (NVHR) has important implications for escalation of medical therapy. We aimed to define the prevalence and clinical characteristics of these two groups within a large multi-state healthcare system and develop a simpler means to assist clinicians in identifying VHR patients using classification and regression tree (CART) analysis.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients in a 28-hospital US healthcare system in 2018. ICD-10 codes were used to define the ASCVD …

Airway Obstacle Course For Teaching Prehospital Providers Airway Techniques., Robert Young, John O Elliott, Brad D Gable

OhioHealth Research Institute Articles

BACKGROUND:  Early airway intervention is a vital step in the management of critically ill patients. Emergency medical service (EMS) providers are often first in the chain of survival with equipment to manage airway problems that arise. Therefore, it is paramount that they receive thorough training in aspects of airway management. Often, the training providers currently undergo does not reflect the environmental challenges inherent in EMS. Our obstacle course not only offers trainees a situational environment that simulates common challenges associated with the prehospital environment, but also provides a break from traditional tabletop and lecture-based training methods.

METHODS:  An airway obstacle …

Utilization Of Patient-Controlled Analgesia Reduces Length Of Stay Of Sickle Cell Crisis Hospitalizations, Brett M. Prestia, Talha Ramzan, Catherine Waldron, Ameer Malik, Robert M. Pallay, Candace R. Murbach, Mike Flynn, Eric Shaw Phd, Abdullah Kutlar, Daniel Lowe

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Sickle cell crisis hospitalizations are emotionally and financially burdensome to patients and healthcare systems, and processes to decrease the frequency or length of stay of these crises should be examined.

Methods

This is a multicenter retrospective hospital record review of sickle cell crisis hospitalizations as defined by ICD-10 codes (D57.1-4), from January 2016 through December 2019, examining inpatient medication administration records and length of stay among admitted adults aged 18–65 years. Patient controlled analgesia orders using morphine, hydromorphone, fentanyl and/or merperidine at any point of an admission (n=188) were compared to admissions without any patient-controlled analgesia orders (n=2,159). The …

Medical Imaging Stewardship And Healthcare Savings: Utilization Of Age Adjusted D-Dimer To Rule Out Acute Pulmonary Embolism, Phillip Bloodworth, Casey Morris, Kenneth Cail, Brian L. Pando, Brian Helmly

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Introduction

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common diagnosis that can lead to death if left untreated. Computerized tomography pulmonary angiogram scan (CTPA) is the gold standard for diagnosis of PE. Utilization of CTPA is increasing in the emergency setting even when suspicion for PE is very low. While CTPA is helpful, radiation exposure, contrast reactions, and cost must be considered. D-dimer is a well-established, high sensitivity and low specificity laboratory test that can effectively rule out PE in low-risk patients when negative. The ADJUST-PE trial showed that there is a natural rise of D-dimer levels with age. This age …