CJEM
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Impaired driving is a public health issue, yet little is known concerning the prevalence of substance use in drivers involved in off-road vehicle crashes. The goal of the present study was to describe the demographics and prevalence of alcohol and drug use in drivers of off-road vehicle crashes. ⋯ This study presents the first evidence of alcohol and drug use in off-road vehicle drivers after cannabis legalization in Canada. Our results show that over half of drivers in off-road vehicle crashes test positive for alcohol and 30% tested positive for THC, cocaine, or amphetamines. Opiates are also commonly detected in off-road vehicle drivers. Emergency department (ED) visits resulting from drug driving of off-road vehicles serve as an opportunity for screening, initiating treatment, and connecting patients to interventions for substance use disorders.
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Virtual care in Canada rapidly expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic in a low-rules environment in response to pressing needs for ongoing access to care amid public health restrictions. Emergency medicine specialists now face the challenge of advising on which virtual urgent care services ought to remain as part of comprehensive emergency care. Consideration must be given to safe, quality, and appropriate care as well as issues of equitable access, public demand, and sustainability (financial and otherwise). The aim of this project was to summarize current literature and expert opinion and formulate recommendations on the path forward for virtual care in emergency medicine. ⋯ Virtual urgent care has become an established service in the Canadian health care system. Emergency medicine specialists are uniquely suited to provide leadership and guidance on the optimal delivery of these services to enhance and complement emergency care in Canada.
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As digital technologies continue to impact medicine, emergency medicine providers have an opportunity to work together to harness these technologies and shape their implementation within our healthcare system. COVID-19 and the rapid scaling of virtual care provide an example of how profoundly emergency medicine can be affected by digital technology, both positively and negatively. ⋯ As virtual care becomes a permanent fixture of our system, and other technologies such as AI and wearables break into Canadian healthcare, more advocacy, research, and health system leadership will be required to best leverage these tools. This paper outlines the purpose and outputs of the newly founded CAEP Digital Emergency Medicine (DigEM) Committee, with the hope of inspiring further interest amongst CAEP members and creating opportunities to collaborate with other organizations within CAEP and across EM groups nationwide.