Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Apr 2021
Multicenter StudyEpidemiology and clinical features of emergency department patients with suspected COVID-19: Insights from Australia's 'second wave' (COVED-4).
The aim of the present study was to describe the epidemiology and clinical features of patients presenting to the ED with suspected and confirmed COVID-19 during Australia's 'second wave'. ⋯ In this prospective multi-site study during Australia's 'second wave', a substantial proportion of ED presentations required SARS-CoV-2 testing and isolation. Presence of SARS-CoV-2 on nasopharyngeal swab was associated with an increase in the odds of death and mechanical ventilation in hospital.
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Emerg Med Australas · Apr 2021
ReviewReview article: Have emergency department time-based targets influenced patient care? A systematic review of qualitative literature.
Time-based targets for ED length of stay were introduced in England in 2000, followed by the rest of the UK, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia after ED crowding was associated with poor quality of care and increased mortality. This systematic review evaluates qualitative literature to see if ED time-based targets have influenced patient care quality. ⋯ We conclude that time-based targets have impacted on the quality of emergency patient care, both positively and negatively. Successful implementation depends on whole hospital resourcing and engagement with targets.
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Emerg Med Australas · Apr 2021
Comparative StudyMental Health Presentations to Christchurch Hospital Emergency Department During COVID-19 Lockdown.
To describe mental health presentations to a tertiary ED in New Zealand during a national COVID-19 lockdown. ⋯ During the COVID-19 lockdown, both overall ED presentations as well as mental health-related presentations decreased. There was a relative increase in overdoses and self-harm, particularly involving paracetamol and ibuprofen.