Emergency Medicine News and Research

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Greening vacant lots may reduce violent crime

Greening vacant lots may make neighborhood residents feel safer and may be associated with reductions in certain gun crimes, according to a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

8 Aug 2012

NCH conducts workshop to teach participants how and when to use EpiPen

Many children with severe allergies carry injectable epinephrine (EpiPens) - syringes filled with epinephrine to delay an allergic reaction - but the EpiPens sometimes require the help of an adult to dispense. School nurses are often the only school officials authorized to handle medications, leaving the educators who are with the children most of the day untrained. According to doctors at Nationwide Children's Hospital, this lack of training is exactly what becomes most dangerous for children with severe allergies.

7 Aug 2012

Minorities more at risk of being impacted by ER crowding

Hospitals in areas with large minority populations are more likely to be overcrowded and to divert ambulances, delaying timely emergency care, according to a multi-institutional study focused on California.

7 Aug 2012

‘Fifth link’ improves outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Neurologic outcomes for survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest are significantly improved after implementation of the 2010 American Heart Association's fifth link in the chain-of-survival concept for postresuscitation care, show Japanese study results.

3 Aug 2012

New FDA risk management plan aims to reduce opioid abuse in the U.S.

A new risk management plan from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help clinicians properly prescribe drugs with addiction potential aims to help reduce the growing epidemic of opioid abuse in the United States.

2 Aug 2012

Emergency Nurses Association praises NIH for new OECR

The following is a statement by Gail Lenehan, EdD, MSN, RN FAEN, FAAN, President of the Emergency Nurses Association, on the National Institutes of Health's New Office of Emergency Care Research: "As the national organization representing more than 40,000 emergency nurses, the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) applauds the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for establishing the new Office of Emergency Care Research (OECR).

31 Jul 2012

DECISION+2 can reduce antibiotic use for acute respiratory infections

A training tool that helps physicians involve patients in decision-making can reduce the use of antibiotics for acute respiratory infections, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

31 Jul 2012

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust opt for Ascribe Emergency Department solution, Ascribe Symphony

Ascribe has announced today the order of its Emergency Department (ED) solution, Ascribe Symphony, by West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT).

30 Jul 2012

Pre-hospital electrocardiography offers more timely diagnosis of heart attack

A study conducted by researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine along with colleagues from Rural/Metro Ambulance San Diego and the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, shows that emergency medical personnel can obtain an electrocardiogram (ECG) in the field for chest pain patients without an increase in scene time or transport time to the hospital.

30 Jul 2012

Research roundup: Gastric bypass costs, paying for psychotherapy

Health Expenditures Among High-Risk Patients After Gastric Bypass and Matched Controls -- A few studies have shown that bariatric surgery can help reduce health care spending by obese patients, particularly those with conditions such as diabetes. This latest study looked at 847 patients who received bariatric surgery through the Veterans Affairs medical system. Inpatient and outpatient spending both before and after surgery were compared to 847 obese patients who did not have the operation.

21 Jul 2012

ED patients prefer technology-based interventions for high-risk behaviors

A Rhode Island Hospital researcher has found that emergency department patients prefer technology-based interventions for high-risk behaviors such as alcohol use, unsafe sex and violence. ER patients said they would choose technology (ie text messaging, email, or Internet) over traditional intervention methods such as in-person or brochure-based behavioral interventions.

17 Jul 2012

Reducing non-urgent ER visits will yield little to no savings for health care system

Reducing non-urgent visits to emergency departments – a growing focus of both private and public insurance plans – will yield little to no savings for the health care system, according to a paper published online yesterday in Annals of Emergency Medicine.

16 Jul 2012

Victims of stray-bullet shootings are often children, females

Most people killed or wounded in stray-bullet shootings were unaware of events leading to the gunfire that caused their injuries, and nearly one-third of the victims were children and nearly half were female, according to a new nationwide study examining an often-overlooked form of gun violence.

11 Jul 2012

Alcohol has toxic effect on critical care services

Alcohol may account for more than one in 10 emergency department admissions, a study from the UK suggests.

10 Jul 2012

SUNY Downstate receives PCORI award to develop mobile phone apps for stroke patients

SUNY Downstate Medical Center has received an award to develop mobile phone applications for stroke patients and their caregivers. Steven R. Levine, MD, professor of neurology and emergency medicine and vice chair of neurology at SUNY Downstate, is scientific principal investigator on the $500,000 award, which is from the federally funded Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

10 Jul 2012

New hemoglobin monitoring system for anemia screening introduced by OrSense Ltd.

OrSense Ltd., developer of monitors for non-invasive measurements of various blood parameters, introduced today at the 32nd International Congress of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT), in Cancun, Mexico, GlasswingTM, its next-generation, wireless, non-invasive hemoglobin (Hb) measurement system for anemia monitoring, hemorrhage detection and pre-donation screening.

9 Jul 2012

OrSense launches Glasswing for anemia monitoring and hemorrhage detection

OrSense Ltd., developer of monitors for non-invasive measurements of various blood parameters, introduced today at the 32nd International Congress of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT), in Cancun, Mexico, Glasswing, its next-generation, wireless, non-invasive hemoglobin (Hb) measurement system for anemia monitoring, hemorrhage detection and pre-donation screening.

9 Jul 2012

Research roundup: Crowded emergency departments, expensive HIV drugs, high deductible insurance plans

Skin In The Game: How Consumer-Directed Plans Affect The Cost And Use Of Health Care -- Consumer-directed health plans, which feature lower premiums and higher deductibles than traditional plans, are designed to reduce costs by discouraging unnecessary care. This brief describes a study of more than 800,000 households that switched from a traditional employer-based plan to a consumer-based plan.

7 Jul 2012

Signs that a child is seriously ill: Interview with Professor Middleton

There are several signs that indicate that a child is seriously ill. These can be spotted by parents, teachers and carers as well as by me or any other doctor or nurse.

4 Jul 2012

Safety tips to prevent heatstroke during hot weather

People across the country are experiencing sweltering weather with temperatures and the heat index reaching well into the 100-degree range. While many will take refuge in air-conditioned homes or at a local lake or pool, it's important to remember that the heat can be much more than bothersome. It can put your health at risk and even prove life threatening.

3 Jul 2012