J Emerg Med
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Cultural competency is crucial to the delivery of optimal medical care. In Emergency Medicine, overcoming cultural barriers is even more important because patients might use the Emergency Department (ED) as their first choice for health care. At least 2.2 million Muslims from Middle Eastern background live in the United States. ⋯ The Muslim-American community is a fast-growing, under-studied population. Cultural awareness is essential for optimal delivery of health care to this minority. We have created a succinct guideline that can be used by Emergency Care providers to overcome cultural barriers. However, it is important to consider the heterogeneity and diversity of this population and to use this guideline on an individual basis.
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Practice Guideline
Customizing anaphylaxis guidelines for emergency medicine.
Most episodes of anaphylaxis are managed in emergency medical settings, where the cardinal signs and symptoms often differ from those observed in the allergy clinic. Data suggest that low recognition of anaphylaxis in the emergency setting may relate to inaccurate coding and lack of a standard, practical definition. ⋯ We believe that this working definition and the supporting Consensus Statements are a first step to better management of anaphylaxis in the emergency medical setting.
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Effective communication is important for the delivery of quality care. The Emergency Department (ED) environment poses significant challenges to effective communication. ⋯ The patients in this study perceived that the ED teams were respectful and allowed them to talk without interruptions; however, lower ratings were given for items related to actively engaging the patient in decision-making and asking questions.
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In Hong Kong Emergency Departments (EDs), the timeliness of providing high-quality services has been compromised by the increasing attendance of non-emergent patients in addition to the unpredictable arrival of emergency patients. ⋯ The arrival of an emergent patient significantly prolonged the waiting time and LOS for non-emergent patients. Discouraging non-urgent ED utilization and building a real-time decision-support system are critical methods needed to relieve staff pressure and guide contingent resource reallocation when emergent patients arrive.
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Case Reports
Digoxin toxicity with normal digoxin and serum potassium levels: beware of magnesium, the hidden malefactor.
In recent years, digoxin use has been on the decline, with decreased incidence of digoxin toxicity. Hence, digoxin toxicity, when it occurs, remains an elusive diagnosis to emergency physicians. ⋯ This case reiterates that digoxin toxicity can occur in patients with normal digoxin and potassium levels, and in such patients, magnesium needs to be checked and treated to prevent potentially life-threatening dysrhythmias.