Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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To identify emergency department (ED) predictors of patients' perception of privacy and whether patients' perception of privacy was significantly associated with patient satisfaction, in an urban, university-based hospital ED. ⋯ These data identify specific factors that are determinants of patients' perception of privacy. It was found that patients' perception of privacy strongly predicts satisfaction. ED improvement efforts should focus on improving ED environmental design and continuing education of healthcare providers to protect patient privacy during their stay in the ED.
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Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a major public health problem that is related to substantial morbidity, impaired quality of life and diminished survival. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is an indicator of platelet activation. ⋯ MPV is increased in patients with DHF. Also, MPV on admission is an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality and 6-month mortality.
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To assess the way different terms used to describe a fracture affect the understanding a patient has of that fracture. The perceived severity of the injury and how the patient expects to be treated were also recorded with a view to optimising patient understanding. ⋯ It is important that doctors in the emergency department use terminology that is understood by the patient, as well as emphasising the potential seriousness of the injury. It is possibly better therefore to use informed lay terminology such as 'a break in a bone' rather than more formal vocabulary such 'a fracture' when discussing the diagnosis and treatment options.
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The Emergency Medical Retrieval Service (EMRS) provides an aeromedical retrieval service to remote and rural communities. Most of these facilities are unable to deliver Critical Care Interventions (CCI). CCI are delivered by the EMRS team prior to transfer of the patient to definitive care. This study addresses correlation between total on-scene times (TOST) and level of intervention delivered, and whether there is any variation in TOST between medical and trauma emergencies. ⋯ This study demonstrates a significant relationship between TOST on-scene by the retrieval team and the level of intervention delivered to patients. The present data do not support the assertion that there is a difference in TOST for medical and trauma patients.