ED Management articles from November 2004

ED Management archives from November 2004

Number of geriatric patients grows: you must prepare for distinct challenges: diagnoses are less straightforward--protocols must be targeted.
November 1, 2004... Executive Summary With the eider population steadily growing, it's time to reassess how your department treats patients beyond age 65. * Symptoms are less obvious in geriatrics, so more testing often is required. * Social...

Rapid-cycle testing cuts bed turnaround by 85%: change in notification process critical to success.
November 1, 2004... Executive Summary You can use rapid-cycle testing to try out new approaches to overcrowding much more frequently than with more traditional process improvement strategies. * Improving bed turnaround notification can yield dramatic...

Care management unit has broad LOS impact: short stay, telemetry admissions, costs decreased.
November 1, 2004... Executive Summary A care management unit can dramatically increase bed availability. * Consulting with internal medicine and the financial department can help identify key sources of bottlenecks. * Creative use of existing beds can...

Are you ready for an influx of SARS patients? By Jan. 1, you must comply with new joint commission standard.(Accreditation Update)
November 1, 2004... Executive Summary Under a new accreditation standard, EDs and all departments must be prepared to handle an influx, or the risk of an influx, of infectious patients. * Collaborate with your infection control committee, disaster...

Ensure compliance with environment of care: as census grows, so do potential problems.(Accreditation Update)
November 1, 2004... As EDs have grown and become overcrowded, environment of care issues also have grown, particularly security concerns, says Dean Samet, associate director/senior engineer of accreditation operations/Standards Interpretation Group at the Joint...

JCAHO and CMS align performance measures.(Accreditation Update)(Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations)(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
November 1, 2004... The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have been working to align their common national hospital performance in the areas of acute myocardial infarction, heart...

Incentives are a growing trend in emergency department pay, link seen to pay for performance.
November 1, 2004... Physicians and nurse managers in emergency medicine stand a better change of boosting their income through incentive packages, as opposed to straight salary increases, according to industry observers. And if you did receive a significant salary...

Focus on process slashes average cycle time by 37%: staff overcome instinct to blame personnel levels.
November 1, 2004... Executive Summary Don't assume you know the cause of your overcrowding. Examine the data first. * Six Sigma approach helps staff keep their eyes on the process and ultimately leads to the root cause of your problem. * Adding more...

To speed up admissions, address 'virtual capacity'.
November 1, 2004... As the ED staff at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, PA, have learned, it's how you respond to benchmarking data that determines success. For example, to speed up admissions, it was necessary to address virtual capacity issues. This, in...

AHRQ guide helps with vaccine, drug dispensing.(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)
November 1, 2004... A new planning guide funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is designed to help communities make sure they have needed drugs and vaccines in the event of a natural epidemic or bioterrorist attack. The guide,...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2004... In the August 2004 issue, ED Management should have said that Emergency and Acute Care Medical Corp. (EA) fee-for-service programs compensate participating physician specialists with negotiated payments for services rendered, and the payments...

Preparing your facility for a natural disaster.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... From hurricanes and tornadoes to wildfires and floods, natural disasters can strike at anytime, anywhere. Does your facility have a disaster plan? How realistic is it? And do you know where to go for help if you need it? To make sure your...

CE/CME questions.
November 1, 2004... 7. According to Scott T. Wilber, MD, FACEP, assistant professor of emergency medicine at Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine, what will make your ED more patient-friendly for geriatrics: A. Using hospital chairs instead of...

Knee trauma: assessment, diagnostic evaluation, and management.
November 1, 2004... As an isolated injury or a frequent component in a multiple trauma patient, the knee is one of the most commonly injured joints. Although not usually a life-threatening injury, correct management may significantly affect the quality of life and...

CE/CME questions.
November 1, 2004... 1. Which of the following statements regarding the popliteal fossa is not true? A. The popliteal fossa is a depression found behind the knee joint. B. The popliteal artery represents the continuation of the femoral artery into the knee...