Trauma
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Patient Can’t Pay for ED Care? EPs Must Protect Themselves Legally
“I can’t afford that test,” “Don’t bother giving me an appointment for a specialist because my insurance won’t cover it,” “I can’t pay for that medication.” When an emergency department (ED) patient makes statements such as this, the emergency physician (EP) is often faced with few or no financial assistance options for the patient to achieve the recommended course of care. -
Epiglottitis
Since the introduction of the vaccine against H. influenzae, there has been a significant decrease in the number of children presenting with epiglottitis. Although there is little evidence that the disease has increased in adults, clearly the percentage of cases in adults compared to children has increased. Further, there is greater recognition of milder cases with direct visualization and imaging. -
These Successful Claims Involved Inappropriate Discharge of ED Patients
A 42-year-old female presented to the emergency department (ED) with a complaint of a constant headache that began the day before arrival. The patient was seven days postpartum, having undergone an epidural block and cesarean section. -
Is EP Liable if Patient Fails to Disclose Substance Abuse?
When a patient arrived at an emergency department (ED) and reported chest pain, he failed to notify the emergency physician (EP) that he was addicted to opiates. The case involved a patient who suffered a cardiac event while visiting relatives. -
Suits Against EDs Unlikely to Involve Over-ordering of Tests
Over-ordering of diagnostic tests is a key focus of policymakers and insurers, but is unlikely to come up during malpractice litigation, according to health care attorneys and risk management experts interviewed by ED Legal Letter. -
Complaint Management System Has Prevented Bad Outcomes
The day after a man came to the ED at Edward Hospital in Naperville, IL, reporting low back pain and was discharged with analgesics, he received a phone call asking how he was feeling. He reported weakness and difficulty emptying his bladder. -
Carbon Monoxide and Cyanide Poisoning in Smoke Inhalation Victims
MONOGRAPH: Both toxins can cause significant injury or death if unrecognized by clinicians.
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Treatment Guidelines
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Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: What It Is, and What It Is Not
The death of a child is a terrifying, overwhelming experience for both parents and physicians. The unknown variables and the inability to reverse an etiology make the emergency department physician feel powerless and unable to give the parents a reason for the event. This article provides a comprehensive update for the ED physician and a review of the truths and myths about the condition known as SIDS. -
Pediatric Influenza Update
From October 2003 to Jan. 9, 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received reports of 93 influenza-associated deaths among children younger than 18 years. The demands the annual flu season places on emergency department and urgent care facilities and the voracity of the current years epidemic have overwhelmed many physicians.