J Emerg Med
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This study was designed to evaluate patients presenting to a large urban university emergency department (ED) who were subsequently denied authorization for reimbursed care by their managed care provider and to characterize the denial as potentially safe or unsafe based on published triage criteria. A consecutive case surveillance was performed from October 1, 1994 to September 30, 1995 at a university-based ED (30,000 visits per year) for adult patients in inner-city Chicago. Cases were comprised of adult managed care participants whose providers refused by telephone to authorize payment for ED services and who then left the ED without treatment. ⋯ By previously established criteria, 115 (47.1%) were identified as potentially unstable, 61 (53%) due to abnormal vital signs and 54 (47%) with other high-risk indications such as severe pain, chest pain, or abdominal pain. These potentially high-risk patients may subsequently suffer adverse outcomes. Current guidelines used for telephone triage by managed care to divert patients from our ED do not meet previously published safe triage criteria.
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Managing the family conference in the emergency department after the sudden death of a child is difficult and, when mishandled, can be deleterious to the patient's family. We surveyed parents of children who died in an emergency department setting in an effort to elicit information that will help emergency physicians tell parents that their child has died. A 24-question survey was distributed to 60 parents identified by the Illinois chapter of the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Alliance. ⋯ Most parents felt that a follow-up telephone call would be helpful, although only a small minority received such a call. Parents whose child died in an emergency department provided some concrete suggestions for emergency physicians regarding informing parents that their child died. Although the majority of children died of sudden infant death syndrome, the results may be applicable to other pediatric deaths.
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Toxicity from ethanol, methanol, ethylene glycol, and isopropyl alcohol varies widely, and appropriate use of the available laboratory tests can aid in timely and specific treatment. Available testing includes direct measurements of serum levels of these alcohols; however, these levels often are not available rapidly enough for clinical decision making. This article discusses the indications and methods for both direct and indirect testing for ethanol, methanol, ethylene glycol, and isopropanol toxicity. Also discussed are the costs, availability, and turn-around times for these tests.
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We conducted a survey of managed care plan (MCP) patients who presented to the emergency department (ED) but were denied insurance authorization during a 3-month period. Patients were identified by triage or registration records, contacted by telephone after their visit, and surveyed regarding their satisfaction with the ED and MCP, follow-up care, and future behavior. We surveyed 72 (73.4%) of 98 subjects who were denied authorization. ⋯ Thirty-nine (54.2%) were dissatisfied with their MCP. If their problems were to recur, 27 (37.5%) stated they would go to a clinic or call their MCP, but 34 (47.2%) would return to the ED. Many patients who are denied authorization are dissatisfied with their MCP and will return to the ED in the future, despite previous denials.