Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Homeless individuals face many barriers to accessing healthcare, and EDs are often their primary entry point to the healthcare system. The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to exacerbate existing social inequities and health disparities, including barriers to accessing social services and healthcare. Addressing the complex social and chronic health issues associated with homelessness can be challenging within the acute care environment. This perspective reflects upon the delivery of emergency healthcare to patients experiencing homelessness, and highlights strategies for optimising health outcomes during and beyond the pandemic.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2020
Early lessons from COVID-19 that may reduce future emergency department crowding.
The COVID-19 pandemic has produced significant changes in emergency medicine patient volumes, clinical practice, and has accelerated a number of systems-level developments. Many of these changes produced efficiencies in emergency care systems and contributed to a reduction in crowding and access block. In this paper, we explore these changes, analyse their risks and benefits and examine their sustainability for the future to the extent that they may combat crowding. We also examine the necessity of a system-wide approach in addressing ED crowding and access block.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2020
Interventions to support Choosing Wisely for coagulation studies in the emergency department.
To evaluate the effectiveness of two different strategies designed to facilitate implementation of Choosing Wisely Australia guidelines, aiming to reduce unnecessary coagulation study blood tests in patients presenting to a metropolitan hospital ED. ⋯ Physically removing coagulation pathology tubes from the trolleys was found to be effective at reducing unnecessary testing.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2020
Presentations of stroke and acute myocardial infarction in the first 28 days following the introduction of state of emergency restrictions for COVID-19.
To determine if Victorian State of Emergency (SOE) measures to combat COVID-19 were associated with delayed presentations or management of acute stroke and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). ⋯ In the first 28 days, SOE measures to combat COVID-19 were not associated with delays in presentation or life-saving interventions for patients with acute stroke and AMI.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2020
Observational StudyExamining emergency department inequities: Descriptive analysis of national data (2006-2012).
Internationally, Indigenous and minoritised ethnic groups experience longer wait times, differential pain management and less evaluation and treatment for acute conditions within emergency medicine care. Examining ED Inequities (EEDI) aims to investigate whether inequities between Māori and non-Māori exist within EDs in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). This article presents the descriptive findings for the present study. ⋯ Our findings show that there are different patterns of ED usage when comparing Māori and non-Māori events. The next level of analysis of the EEDI dataset will be to examine whether there are any associations between ethnicity and ED outcomes for Māori and non-Māori patients.