Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
-
Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2025
Risk-benefit analysis of a multi-site radiographer comment model for emergency departments.
Critical/urgent X-ray findings are not always communicated in an appropriate time frame to ED physicians. The practice of radiographers alerting referrers to clinically significant image findings (verbally, via image flags or written comment) is noted internationally but risk assessment data is unavailable in the literature. A hybrid radiographer comment and alert model was piloted in New South Wales and a risk-benefit assessment conducted for timely and safe communication of abnormal X-ray appearances to ED physicians. ⋯ The provision of radiographer alerts with a written comment for ED was found to be low risk to patients in the pilot study. Radiographers communicating directly with the emergency team when abnormal image appearances are detected can reduce diagnostic error and improve patient safety and health outcomes.
-
Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2025
Prisoners in the emergency department: Lessons from a recent inquest.
The recent coronial finding in Victoria into the death of Joshua (Josh) Kerr highlights some of the challenges of treating patients who are in custody and under the supervision of custodial staff (prison officers or police) in the ED. Issues include ED clinicians' duty of care, roles and responsibilities of ED staff and custodial staff and the need for processes that facilitate collaboration and communication between ED clinicians and custodial staff.
-
Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2025
Expert consensus on serratus anterior plane block education and credentialing: A modified-Delphi study.
The serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) is a regional anaesthesia technique with increasing use as an analgesic adjunct in patients with rib fractures. The present study aimed to generate consensus of the requirements of education, training and credentialing for the use of a 'single shot' SAPB in the management of rib fractures. ⋯ This series of expert statements provides consensus on the education, training and credentialling of the SAPB for the management of rib fractures. These serve as the minimum standard by which this procedure should be taught while providing clinicians with a syllabus for the development of training programmes.
-
Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2025
Trauma system management of adults with severe burns in Victoria, Australia.
The aim of the present study was to examine the profile, management and outcomes of adult patients with severe burns within the Victorian State Trauma System (VSTS). ⋯ Severe burns are uncommon injuries with high mortality. There is a high rate of adherence to VSTS guidelines for managing patients with severe burns, and a decrease in patients requiring transfer associated with an increase in acceptable time to a trauma-receiving hospital. The VSTS operates to deliver almost all patients with severe burns to the definitive burns service efficiently.
-
Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2025
Observational StudyWhat they did next: Using follow-up phone calls to investigate health care access patterns of patients who take their own leave.
The purpose of the present study was to use telephone follow-up (TFU) to investigate the actions taken by patients after they took their own leave (TOL) from an ED, with a focus on priority groups who are at risk of experiencing health inequity. These included people experiencing homelessness (EH), people with a low socioeconomic status by index of relative socioeconomic disadvantage (IRSD) and First Nations people. The primary outcome was being seen by a general practitioner (GP) within 2 days of the TOL event. The utility of the TFU was also examined. ⋯ Patients EH were less likely to receive GP care within 2 days of TOL. Improving the access and acceptability of health care in these priority groups is important for achieving health equity.