Healthcare Update Satellite — 06-15-2013

This study showed that there was a 1 in 50 chance of a significant finding. Some people had bleeding in their cerebellum, some had hydrocephalus, some had cancers. When patients received a follow up MRI, 13% of patients had significant findings – most of which were strokes that had gone undiagnosed on the initial CT scan. I’m betting that if the testing was negative, certain groups of people [cough cough Consumer Reports hack cough] would label the tests “unnecessary” and state that the testing shouldn’t have been performed. What would you want if it was your family in the emergency department? An unfortunate case of “crying wolf”? UK patient takes overdose of pain medications then is taken to the emergency department (A&E department). There, she denies taking any medications to cause her lethargy. She was assigned to be watched by “unqualified” Healthcare Assistants, and was believed to be faking a coma because she was a “frequent flyer.” She stopped breathing and died from a narcotic overdose 12 hours later. Now the Secretary of State for Health is being petitioned to prevent Healthcare Assistants from observing seriously ill patients and requiring that only nurses do so. With more patients, fewer facilities, and lower reimbursement for care, we’re moving toward the system already present in the UK. Can we learn anything? Another interesting article from the UK. When one hospital closes its emergency department, the do...
Source: WhiteCoat's Call Room - Category: Emergency Medicine Doctors Authors: Tags: Healthcare Update Source Type: blogs