The “EM Paradox”

From the Student Doctor Network:
I’ve been posting some recently about a paradox that exists in EMS which is basically a need vs. resources problem and it got me thinking about a similar paradox in EM. I currently see 2.5 to 3 patients per hour. That’s just the volume/staffing of the places I work. I would [...]

Happy Thanksgiving

Country (ER) Doc

From the WSJ Health Blog:
If you get sick in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, there’s a good chance you’ll meet Hiram Ward, age 81. He’s been practicing medicine in Murfreesboro (pop: 1,678) since 1953, and lately he’s been spending his nights and weekends taking calls at the emergency room there.
Ward went back to work in the ER at [...]

First Person Account of HIV Needlestick

From the outstanding Scalpel or Sword, in two parts (thus far):
Part One (excerpt):
It’s really amazing how much progress has been made in the treatment of AIDS. It seems like the only really sick AIDS patients I see now are street people who don’t take their medications. But only 15 years ago, our ICUs were full [...]

“Stroke Code” Success

From Healthline
Last night, John was enjoying dinner with his wife. Suddenly he dropped his fork, a pain seared through his head. His right arm went limp, he tried to talk, but only incomprehensible slurs emerged. John at just 55 years old had suffered a massive, debilitating stroke. When he arrived at the Emergency Room a [...]

Illinois Med Mal Caps Unconstituitional?

An Illinois circuit court judge yesterday ruled unconstitutional a 2005 state law that caps non-economic damages in medical liability cases at $500,000 for physicians and $1 million for hospitals. Cook County Circuit Court Judge Diane Joan Larsen ruled that the law violates the state constitution’s separation of powers clause. Illinois Hospital Association President Ken Robbins [...]

Meth Lab Menace

From EMSResponder.com
So here you are, with three victims with undetermined injuries and a situation that is one of the most hazardous EMS personnel will ever face. What do you do? Slow down, fully assess the situation, and then back off. This is not a normal scene. You are not equipped to enter this scene.1 Wait [...]

We’ve Moved to WordPress

In an effort to better integrate our weblog and our new, improved website, we’ve moved to WordPress!

Quality Indicators: CMS Reporting

From the Iowa Hospital Association Friday mailing:
PPS hospitals must begin submitting data on seven indicators (reduced from 10) to an as yet undisclosed contractor beginning with outpatient services provided on or after April 1, 2008 in order to receive the full payment update for 2009. Like the inpatient PPS quality reporting program, non-compliant hospitals will [...]

No liability for doctor who revived newborn

From the Seattle Times
A doctor can’t be held liable for resuscitating a baby who was born without a heartbeat and survived with severe disabilities, the state Supreme Court says.
The baby’s parents filed a malpractice lawsuit after the baby’s 2004 birth. They claimed doctors in Vancouver, Wash., were negligent when they continued to resuscitate the baby [...]