Emergency Medicine News and Research

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Emergency physicians to present research studies at Research Forum 2010

The risks associated with boarding admitted patients in the emergency department – including patient mortality – as well as proposed solutions will be key themes of Scientific Assembly, the annual meeting of the American College of Emergency Physicians. In addition, emergency physicians will present more than 450 research studies during 2010 Research Forum, the premier, annual scientific research event focused on the latest advances in the practice of emergency medicine.

14 Sep 2010

New 'Therapeutic Hypothermia and Temperature Management' journal

Therapeutic Hypothermia and Temperature Management, a new quarterly peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers, covers all aspects of hypothermia and temperature considerations relevant to this exciting field, including its application in cardiac arrest, spinal cord and traumatic brain injury, stroke, myocardial ischemia, neurogenic fever, emergency medicine, ICU management, anesthesiology, pediatrics, and much more.

14 Sep 2010

IASIS Healthcare signs agreement to acquire Brim Holdings

IASIS Healthcare today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire Brim Holdings, Inc., which operates Wadley Regional Medical Center in Texarkana, Texas, and Pikes Peak Regional Hospital in Woodland Park, Colorado, in a cash-for-stock transaction valued at approximately $95 million, subject to customary closing conditions and working capital adjustments. Combined revenue of the two facilities is approximately $120 million.

10 Sep 2010

Experts examine impact of two cardiac rescue strategies: chest compressions first vs. defibrillation first

Chest compressions before defibrillation in patients with sudden cardiac arrest is equally successful as immediate treatment with an electrical defibrillator, according to a new study by the University of Michigan Health System.

9 Sep 2010

Young drug users develop brain abnormalities

According to a new study published in the Australian Medical Journal, 20 percent of users of the drugs ecstasy, ice and speed in the ER developed signs of brain damage. Two thirds had concentration and mood problems, and half said they had general health problems.

5 Sep 2010

Safety culture in high-risk EMS environment: Study

A survey of emergency medical services (EMS) agencies from across the country found wide variation in perceptions of workplace safety culture-providing a tool that might point to potential patient safety threats, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

3 Sep 2010

AMIA launches non-profit Global Health Informatics Partnership

AMIA, the U.S.-based association for informatics professionals, has launched a non-profit, wholly owned subsidiary organization called the Global Health Informatics Partnership (GHIP) to serve as an international center for collaborative initiatives on health informatics. With generous operational support from AMIA, GHIP, aims to build grassroots networks of health informatics advocates and professionals that will result in strengthened health informatics capacity in low-resource settings, primarily in South America, Africa, and Asia.

3 Sep 2010

Saint Barnabas Medical Center installs ZOLL's AutoPulse Non-Invasive Cardiac Support Pump

ZOLL Medical Corporation, a manufacturer of medical devices and related software solutions, announced today that Saint Barnabas Medical Center, one of the largest non-profit, non-sectarian hospitals in New Jersey, has installed the AutoPulse® Non-Invasive Cardiac Support Pump for resuscitative capabilities in the hospital's emergency department.

2 Sep 2010

HHS Secretary announces grants for patient-centered outcome research

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced three sets of grants and cooperative agreements totaling nearly $17 million for patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR), or research that compares treatments and strategies to improve health outcomes for patients.

2 Sep 2010

Doctor depression on the rise: Review

According to a review of Australian and international research released by Beyondblue this week, doctors use more prescription drugs and have a higher rate of suicide than the general population. General Practitioner Naomi Harris says doctors are less inclined to seek help for their own mental illness, resulting in some disturbing trends and she is urging doctors to come out for help being a member of an advisory committee formed to deal with the problem.

1 Sep 2010

Emergency department visits for concussions in young athletes on the rise

A new study from Hasbro Children's Hospital finds visits to emergency departments for concussions that occurred during organized team sports have increased dramatically over a 10-year period, and appear to be highest in ice hockey and football. The number of sports-related concussions is highest in high school-aged athletes, but the number in younger athletes is significant and rising.

31 Aug 2010

Nihon-Kohden granted exclusive rights to distribute Z-Medica's QuikClot line of hemostatic agents in Japan

Z-Medica Corporation, a medical device company developing innovative hemostatic agents, today announced that it has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Nihon-Kohden, Japan's leading manufacturer, developer and distributor of medical electronic equipment . The agreement allows Nihon-Kohden the exclusive right to distribute Z-Medica's QuikClot line of hemostatic agents to hospital, military and law enforcement markets throughout Japan. The companies have been working together since early 2009 to obtain regulatory approval.

From Medica Corporation 30 Aug 2010

BrainScope technology specifically identifies triage for Computed Tomography to ED patients

BrainScope Company, Inc. today announced the publication of clinical research findings from a study in patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) following a closed head injury.

27 Aug 2010

Tram accidents on the rise: Study

There has been an increase in tram accidents and injuries, despite new safety measures. In a Melbourne-based study, conducted by a group of emergency doctors, 1,769 cases of trauma that occurred in tram accidents between 2001 and 2008 were looked into.

23 Aug 2010

Simple, low-cost interventions reduce most common hospital-acquired infections

Urinary catheters are often left in place longer than needed, and new research shows that reminder systems that encourage hospital staff to remove catheters promptly can reduce the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infections by 52 percent.

17 Aug 2010

RhinoChill Intra-Nasal Cooling System improves survival when initiated soon after cardiac arrest

A new portable system which cools the brain via the nasal cavity may improve survival following cardiac arrest compared with standard care procedures, particularly when CPR and cooling are initiated early. Results from a recent study showed that the RhinoChill(TM) Intra-Nasal Cooling System enabled brain temperature to reach target several hours earlier than patients cooled in the emergency room. It is widely recognized that the sooner brain temperature can be reduced, the better the chances of minimizing long-term damage.

16 Aug 2010

Acoustic cardiography improves diagnostic accuracy in acute heart failure

It allows them to hear the S3, an abnormal third sound in the heart's rhythm strongly associated with cardiac disease and heart failure. However, the low-frequency, low-pitch sound is notoriously very difficult to hear with a stethoscope alone.It allows them to hear the S3, an abnormal third sound in the heart's rhythm strongly associated with cardiac disease and heart failure. However, the low-frequency, low-pitch sound is notoriously very difficult to hear with a stethoscope alone.

11 Aug 2010

Today's Opinions and Editorials: Bringing down health care costs; More on the Medicare trustees report

Short of transforming the medical payment system, can we bring down health care costs by feasible fixes? Yes, by reducing the number of services that must be covered by every insurance policy and requiring higher copayments for patients using the highest cost providers (Robert Pozen, 8/10).

11 Aug 2010

HSA urges Vancouver General Hospital to maintain outpatient Domestic Violence Program

Less than a week after a sudden announcement to emergency room staff, Vancouver General Hospital has already begun dismantling a much-needed Domestic Violence Program that has been serving the community for 18 years.

10 Aug 2010

Study identifies options for restoring knee cartilage lubrication to prevent OA

An injury to the anterior cruciate ligament is fairly common, especially among young athletes. While it can often be corrected through surgery, the injury can lead to increased risk of developing degenerative joint diseases, including osteoarthritis. The problem is that fluid in the knee joint, which lubricates the cartilage, is impacted by the trauma of the injury and begins to deteriorate.

6 Aug 2010