Impact of transport to critical care medical centers on outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

From Resuscitation: Post-resuscitation care has emerged as an important predictor of survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). In Japan, selected hospitals are certified as Critical Care Medical Centers (CCMCs) based on their ability and expertise. Hypothesis Outcome after OHCA is better in patients transported to a CCMC compared a non-critical care hospital (NCCH). Materials and methods [...]

Medicaid Patients Accounting for More Emergency Visits

From MedPage Today: Medicaid patient visits to the emergency department are on the rise nationwide in contrast to overall trends in emergency visits, according to a market analysis firm. Emergency department visits covered by Medicaid rose more than 6% in 2009, whereas total hospital outpatient visits to the emergency department dropped 1.3%, SDI reported. The [...]

Kids with food allergies need two EpiPens

From the Boston Globe: Many children with food allergies carry EpiPens, which are self-injectible doses of epinephrine that can halt a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. A study of emergency room treatment of children with these life-threatening reactions supports recommendations that children carry two EpiPens, not just one. Dr. Susan Rudders of Children’s Hospital Boston [...]

ERtexting Provides Live ER Status to Any Mobile Phone

From Medgadget: Ertexting out of Miami, Florida is a new company that’s offering a mobile phone service to provide patients wait times at their local emergency rooms. The idea is very simple: in an emergency, patients send a text message with their zip code to 4ER411 (437411), and the system replies with a text message [...]

Asystole after ear suctioning

From the Journal of Primary Health Care: The ENT doctor started cleaning with a suction device to clean the deep debris. The patient was compliant and keen on the procedure. After a few seconds into the vacuum suctioning, the patient was nonresponsive. The doctor put up a crash call. The ECG read asystole and the patient [...]

Maryland Paramedics Under Review After Incorrectly Pronouncing Man Dead

From JEMS: The Prince George’s County Fire/Emergency Services Department is limiting the duties of two paramedics pending an investigation into how they walked away from the unconscious Waters at about noon on Friday after saying he was dead. An hour and a half after the two medics left the Waters’ Glenarden Parkway home, forensics investigators [...]

Ammonia Leak Sends 15 to University of Iowa Hospital

From JEMS: The fire department in West Liberty says a total of 15 people were transported to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics after an anhydrous ammonia leak at a meat processing plant there. West Liberty Fire Department Assistant Chief Tom Christensen say the leak at West Liberty Foods was reported about 11:30 a.m. Friday [...]

No Narcs

From the Mt. Vernon Register-News: MT. VERNON — In an effort to address concerns and the potential for abuse of narcotics, St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital has started a new policy in its emergency room. “While these medicines are technically safe, they can, in specific instances, become counter-productive to treating painful conditions,” information from SMGS [...]

Doc Botched Gallbladder Op, Drops Patient Off Outside ER

From Fox News: A 59-year-old woman was awarded $395,000 after a doctor botched her gallbladder operation and subsequently took her in his own car to another emergency room. Juana Magnaye, a Medi-Cal patient, was hospitalized at California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles on April 13, 2007 for a routine gallbladder surgery. However, when Dr. [...]

New dummy for emergency room

Ed. Love the title. From the Times: Staff members at Kidz First at Middlemore were delighted when they were presented with the infant mannequin by representatives from local charity Kids in Cars. Emergency nurse educator Cate Fleckney says the new training tool will give staff hands-on experience with procedures, including catheterisation, tracheotomies and intravenous insertion. [...]