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Optimizing outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome requires matching patients with strategies that will produce the best results in specific clinical subgroups. Identifying those patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who represent ideal candidates for fibrinolysis, and who are likely to have outcomes that are at least as favorable as they would have with percutaneous interventions, has become an area of intense focus among cardiologists and emergency physicians. Significant improvements in patient outcomes will be made when patients are managed according to their institutional capabilities, with the understanding that prompt thrombolysis in the setting of STEMI is fundamental to optimal patient care. This article, the second in a two-part series, provides a practical, evidence-based approach to comprehensive management of this patient population.
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In light of changes to the survey process made last year, what does my ED need to provide to surveyors to demonstrate compliance with staffing effectiveness standards?
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As of Jan. 1, your accredited hospital was required to collect and report data on one additional core measure set as part of an expansion of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization's ORYX initiative.
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Emphasizing the importance it places on eliminating easily misinterpreted abbreviations and acronyms from written orders and medical records, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has amended patient safety goals to urge hospitals to achieve 100% compliance by the end of this year.
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We have a hospital 25 miles away that can provide a higher level of critical care for trauma than what we can provide. We recently signed an agreement with them that allows our community-owned ambulance (basic life support) team to call them to dispatch their paramedic squad for an intercept for trauma situations that the ambulance crew feels we cannot handle at our local hospital...
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The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) in Irving, TX, has joined more than 40 organizations endorsing a new universal protocol to standardize pre-surgery procedures for verifying the correct patient, the correct procedure, and the correct surgical site.
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A dedicated billing analyst for your ED can generate hundreds of thousands of dollars that goes straight to the bottom line instead of just flying out the window, say two managers who have added about $300,000 a year.
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This is the second of a three-part series covering the top five issues that lead to malpractice claims in the ED and how you can address them. The January 2004 issue of ED Management addressed chest pain, and this months installment involves headache and abdominal pain.
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If you already are working to optimize the care of cardiac patients in your ED, seeking accreditation as a chest pain center can be a good way to draw attention to your efforts, improve capacity, and make sure you maintain those standards over time.
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Jon Huddy, managing principal of FreemanWhite, a Charlotte, NC-based firm that specializes in health care facility design, offers these tips for surviving construction in your ED.