European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
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This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) surveillance protocol in the Emergency Department (ED) at Hamad General Hospital. Effectiveness was measured by: (a) reduction in the number of patients admitted into the MERS-CoV tracking system; (b) identification of positive MERS-CoV cases; (c) containment of cross infectivity; and (d) increased efficiency in ED functioning. ⋯ A highly protocolized surveillance system limited the impact of MERS-CoV on ED functioning by identifying and prioritizing high-risk patients. The emergence of new infectious diseases requires constant monitoring of interventions to reduce the impact of epidemics on population health and health services.
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Observational Study
The burden of sepsis in the Emergency Department: an observational snapshot.
The primary aim of our study was to establish what proportion of patients in the Emergency Department (ED) fulfill the criteria for sepsis. All adult patients presenting to ED in two 1-week periods, 6 months apart, were included. ⋯ The proportion of patients with sepsis was 4.3% (95% confidence interval 3.3-5.2%) and the proportion with severe sepsis was 2.2% (95% confidence interval 1.5-2.8%). In conclusion our results suggest that sepsis is more common than previously reported and this represents a significant burden on ED.
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Review
Systematic review of frequent users of emergency departments in non-US hospitals: state of the art.
This review focuses on frequent users (FUs) of the emergency department (ED). Elucidation of the characteristics of frequent ED users will help to improve healthcare services. A systematic review of the literature (from 1999 onwards) on frequent ED users in non-US hospitals was performed. ⋯ In terms of social characteristics, lacking a partner is more frequently reported among FUs in some studies. The absence of a universal definition for FUs complicates the determination of the burden on emergency healthcare services. FUs are a heterogeneous group of patients with genuine medical needs and high consumption of other healthcare services.