Emergency Department Management & Law
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Many Pediatric Patients Leave EDs Without Being Seen
As pediatric patients become more medically complex, inpatient pediatric beds across the country continue to consolidate, and pediatric EDs are expecting to see higher volumes of children. Healthcare leaders must build these considerations into their staffing and patient flow approaches if they hope to prevent more patients from leaving without before they are seen.
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Was Child Brought to ED by EMS? Medication Dosages May Be Incorrect
ED personnel should ensure a good handoff report is received from EMS providers, and that the dose of any medications administered by EMS is recorded. ED personnel should be mindful in carrying out weight-based dosing calculations, and should follow recommendations of national guidelines.
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Malpractice Claims Against Emergency Residents Allege Lack of Supervision
Although time and resources are tight, attendings and residents must work together closely to prevent litigation.
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Plaintiff Attorney May Decline to Pursue Claim if Patient Was Noncompliant
If a patient does not follow discharge instructions, and a bad outcome happens, the patient or family may decide to sue the emergency care provider. However, it may be difficult finding a lawyer to take the case.
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Lawsuits Allege Delays, Failure to Treat with Mechanical Thrombectomy
Malpractice claims involving intravenous thrombolytic therapy to treat acute ischemic stroke patients are more likely to allege failure to treat than to allege complications related to therapy. A group of researchers wanted to know if the same was true regarding mechanical thrombectomy.
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Despite Some Progress, Pediatric Readiness Continues to Lag in Many EDs
EDs showed improvement on five of the six domains evaluated in the survey-based assessment, completed by the National Pediatric Readiness Project. However, there was a significant decline from the 2013 assessment regarding administration and coordination, a heavily weighted domain.
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More Support Needed for Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinators
Considering professional organizations view the pediatric emergency care coordinator role as essential to pediatric readiness in U.S. EDs, there is concern about health system commitment to the role, based on the results of a survey of the physicians and nurses serving in those positions.
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Attorneys Will Scrutinize ED Preparedness for Pediatric Emergencies
Litigation will center on training, experience, and facility resources.
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Legal, Safety, and Regulatory Risks if Cyberattack Forces ED to Shut Down
Experts offer early warning signs of a possible attack, along with mitigation tactics and tips for leaders on how to properly train staff in security principles.
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Did Your Department Close Unexpectedly? Here’s How to Mitigate Risks
In the event of a diversion caused by a cyberattack, EDs need to mitigate any adverse effects on patient care. Maintaining paper order forms and manual backup plans for otherwise computer-dependent operations is essential. Leaders must immediately notify surrounding hospitals and ambulance agencies of the situation, along with the expected resolution time.