Articles: emergency-department.
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Our goal was to determine the effectiveness of an intervention aimed at improving the emergency department (ED) documentation of pediatric injuries. ⋯ A simple intervention, consisting of staff training, chart modification, and visual flagging of charts, can increase the amount of injury information documented by ED clinicians. Efforts to improve ED charting are most likely to succeed if they include visual prompts for clinicians.
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To determine the prevalence and assess documentation by emergency department (ED) physicians (EPs) of impaired mental status in elderly ED patients. ⋯ Impairment in mental status is highly prevalent among older ED patients. Lack of documentation and referrals by EPs suggests lack of recognition of these problems. Further education of physicians is needed to improve care in these areas.
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Evaluation of physician practice is necessary, both to provide feedback for self-improvement and to guide department heads during yearly evaluations. ⋯ Physician evaluation by a single individual is probably unreliable. A useful physician peer evaluation tool can be developed. Most physicians view a personalized, broad-based, confidential peer review as valuable.
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To determine the accuracy of POCT quality control testing of an ED maintained ABG Analyzer (Gem Premier)-Instrumentation Laboratory). ⋯ ED attendings are capable of quality control maintenance of an ABG analyzer as a POCT device under the quality control testing parameters set forth by the College of American Pathologists.