Emergency Medicine News and Research

RSS

Serum BNP do not increase in pediatric trauma patients with serious head injuries: Report

Investigators at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles have found that unlike adults, levels of serum beta-natriuretic peptide do not increase in pediatric trauma patients with serious head injuries.

9 Jul 2010

Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital issues public safety warning about dangers of swimming pools

A strong public safety warning about the dangers of swimming pools comes in the wake of 19 drownings or near-drownings treated by doctors at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt since May 27.

3 Jul 2010

Cardiac MRI helps avoid hospital admissions for chest pain patients

A new study done by researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center indicates that chest pain may no longer have to mean a hospital stay - there is another option for diagnosing heart-related chest pain that costs less and, in some cases, allows the patient to return home the same day.

28 Jun 2010

Mass. Legislature denies requests to trim municipal health benefits; N.Y. ordered to transfer people with mental Illness out of institutional group homes

"The state's public employee unions won a major victory this week when the Legislature abandoned efforts to allow cities and towns to trim generous health care benefits enjoyed by thousands of municipal employees, retirees, and elected officials. The decision by lawmakers not to address the issue in next year's budget means the Legislature will almost certainly not act on it this year, setting the stage for mayors and other municipal officials to take their case directly to voters in a ballot initiative for 2012" (Murphy, 6/25).

28 Jun 2010

Study: Traditional methods for assessing patients after cardiac arrest may underestimate chances for survival

Traditional methods for assessing patients after cardiac arrest may be underestimating their chances for survival and good outcomes, according to a new study by University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers now available online in the journal Resuscitation.

24 Jun 2010

HealthGrades study examines mortality rates for patients entering hospitals through emergency departments

The quality of emergency medical care at the nation's hospitals varies widely - both individually and by state - according to a new HealthGrades study released today that, for the first time, examines mortality rates for patients entering hospitals through emergency departments.

23 Jun 2010

Lightning Safety Awareness Campaign reduces death and injury from lightning strikes in the U.S.

This year marks the 10th Lightning Safety Awareness Campaign, June 20-26. Spearheaded by the National Weather Service, the campaign has reduced death and injury from lightning strikes in the U.S., with average annual deaths dropping from 72 to 40 in the last decade.

19 Jun 2010

IU-Regenstrief programs to address growing workforce needs for qualified health IT workers

Investments in the future of health care delivery include more than training additional doctors and nurses. Health information technology specialists are critical. While a growing number of hospitals and physicians want to offer their patients the benefits of electronic medical records and health information exchange, there is a nationwide shortage of highly skilled health IT workers to fill an estimated 60,000 positions.

18 Jun 2010

Medicare, uninsured, elderly and critically ill patients use ambulances for transport to ER: Study

Patients with Medicare or Medicaid, the uninsured, the elderly and the critically ill are the heaviest users of ambulances for transport to the emergency department, making them most vulnerable during periods of ambulance diversion. The results of a study of more than 30,000 patients taken to emergency departments by ambulance were published online Friday in Annals of Emergency Medicine ("At-Risk Populations and the Critically Ill Rely Disproportionately on Ambulance Transport to Emergency Departments").

14 Jun 2010

Trauma patients without insurance more likely to die of injuries than privately insured patients: Study

Trauma patients without insurance are more likely to die of their injuries from auto accidents and gunshot wounds than privately insured patients with similar injuries, according to findings of an analysis of 193,804 patients from 649 facilities conducted by University Buffalo emergency medicine physicians.

14 Jun 2010

INPC to include post-acute care facilities for individuals with significant health care needs

The Indiana Network for Patient Care, one of the highest volume health information exchanges in the United States, is expanding to include post-acute care facilities, bringing the benefits of secure health information exchange to a growing number of individuals who often have significant health care needs.

11 Jun 2010

UC emergency medicine assistant professor compares efficacy of two seizure medications to prevent SE

When seizures strike, the most immediate goal for caregivers is to get appropriate medication to the patient as quickly as possible to stop the seizing activity. In a paper published in the June Academic Emergency Medicine, UC emergency medicine assistant professor Jason McMullan, MD, found that the best means of stopping status epilepticus may be with the least direct medication.

10 Jun 2010

Clinical guidelines for UC emergency medicine physicians

Though guidelines for best treatment practices are common, they are only partially effective without standardized, routine exposure to them in clinical practice, according to a study conducted by University of Cincinnati emergency medicine researchers.

9 Jun 2010

Prismatic eyeglass lenses reduce symptoms associated with TBI, vertical heterophoria: Study

A recent retrospective study by four Michigan physicians shows strong evidence that symptoms of headache, dizziness and anxiety in some patients with traumatic brain injury potentially could be alleviated or even eliminated with specialized eyeglass lenses containing prisms.

5 Jun 2010

Study links shelter, transportation, insurance and health care cost difficulties with heavier ED usage

Difficulties with shelter, transportation, insurance, and health care costs are linked with heavier emergency department usage by so-called "super-user" patients in urban areas, according to research at Henry Ford Hospital.

4 Jun 2010

Kidney dialysis patients unprepared for disasters: Study

Immediately after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, the survival of more than 5,800 Gulf Coast kidney dialysis patients was threatened as the storm forced closure of 94 dialysis units. Within a month 148 of these patients had died.

4 Jun 2010

Computer keyboards in non-treatment areas are more contaminated with bacteria

Keyboards located in triage and registration areas were found to be more contaminated with bacteria than those in other areas of the Emergency Department at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, according to a new study conducted by the hospital.

3 Jun 2010

Top physicians offer health advice to help people survive during summer

This summer a variety of top physicians at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital are offering health advice to help survive the travails that come with one of the most active seasons of the year.

3 Jun 2010

Synthetic peptide repairs, regenerates stroke-injured brain tissue

A synthetic version of a naturally occurring peptide promoted the creation of new blood vessels and repaired damaged nerve cells in lab animals, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

2 Jun 2010

Seattle's Phoumy Bobby Bounkeau receives 2010 Humanitarian PA of the Year Award from AAPA

Phoumy Bobby Bounkeau, PhD, PA-C, of Seattle, Wash., received the American Academy of Physician Assistants' 2010 Humanitarian PA of the Year Award at the organization's 38th Annual Physician Assistant Conference in Atlanta yesterday. Bounkeau, of Lao and Thai descent, co-founded the CME training project, a program that provides funding for rural Lao health workers to travel from their villages to the large city of Luang Prabang, Laos, to participate in much-needed continuing medical education.

1 Jun 2010