ED Management articles from September 2004

ED Management archives from September 2004

Patient or visitor, mentally disturbed individuals may pose a safety threat: a gunman enters an ED in Alaska: how would your staff respond?(emergency department safety)
September 1, 2004... When an intruder with a rifle entered Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage on March 10, 2004, the ED staff followed the hospital's procedures, which confined him to a corridor leading to the ED and kept ED staff and patients from being harmed....

CT in your ED? Make sure you've got enough space: budget constraints may not be greatest challenge.(computed tomography machines in the emergency department)
September 1, 2004... Although purchasing a new computed tomography (CT) scanner and associated software can cost upward of $1 million (used and/or refurbished machines may cost half that), money may not be the biggest obstacle to putting a CT scanner in your ED,...

Strategies to boost ED manager's influence: learning new skills can win over management.(emergency departments)
September 1, 2004... Many ED managers complain that their department is the Rodney Dangerfield of the hospital because they can't get any respect from upper management. But respect is earned, not given, says Gregory Henry, MD, FACEP risk management consultant at...

ED touched by angels slashes complaints: volunteers bring a human touch to patients.(emergency department volunteers)
September 1, 2004... Three or four years ago, St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, would typically receive one letter every week or two complaining about some aspect of care in the ED; perhaps once a month, it might get a letter complimenting that service....

CMS launches $1 billion program for the uninsured.(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)(Medicare Modernization Act of 2003)
September 1, 2004... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has unveiled a new program to provide $1 billion over four years to help hospitals and other providers recoup the costs of providing needed medical care to uninsured patients who cannot pay...

Transfers: you can say no if there's a good reason.(Emtala: Q & A)(refusing patient transfer)
September 1, 2004... Keys: Capability, capacity, and appropriateness [This column addresses readers' questions about the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). If you have a question you'd like answered, contact Steve Lewis, Editor, ED Management,...

Protect your hospital's tax-exempt status.(seminar)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Class action lawsuits on behalf of the uninsured have been filed against a number of nonprofit hospitals in multiple states. More suits are expected to follow as this issue draws increasing media and political attention. If you're like...

CE/CME questions.(training for emergency department personnel)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... 31. Carol Halley, RN, nurse manager of the ED at Hennepin County Medical Center and Hilliard Pettus, RN, MICN, the ED director at Alaska Regional Hospital agree that when dealing with mentally ill patients, the one area in which ED staff must...