Articles: emergency-department.
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The earthquakes that struck Türkiye on February 6, 2023, significantly impacted the province of Hatay. A portion of the patients presenting to emergency departments (ED) following the earthquake were exposed to secondary effects without experiencing direct physical trauma. This study aims to evaluate the demographic, clinical, and psychosocial characteristics of patients presenting to the ED during the early post-earthquake period due to secondary effects, as well as to examine the challenges encountered during this process. ⋯ Patients affected by secondary health impacts began presenting to the ED shortly after the earthquake, with many requiring medical treatment, hospitalization, or referral. The most common reasons for ED visits were disruptions in access to medical supplies and the exacerbation of chronic diseases.
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Diagnostic errors in health care pose significant risks to patient safety and are disturbingly common. In the emergency department (ED), the chaotic and high-pressure environment increases the likelihood of these errors, as emergency clinicians must make rapid decisions with limited information, often under cognitive overload. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers promising solutions to improve diagnostic errors in three key areas: information gathering, clinical decision support (CDS), and feedback through quality improvement. ⋯ Developing, validating, and implementing AI as a safe, human-centered ED tool requires thoughtful design and meticulous attention to ethical and practical considerations. Clinicians and patients must be integrated as key stakeholders across these processes. Ultimately, AI should be seen as a tool that assists clinicians by supporting better, faster decisions and thus enhances patient outcomes.
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The History, Electrocardiogram, and Troponin (HET) score is a simplified alternative to the HEART score for risk stratifying emergency department (ED) patients with chest pain. This study evaluates the safety and efficacy of the HET score for 30-day cardiac death or myocardial infarction (MI). ⋯ In a multisite US cohort study, neither the HET score nor the HEART score achieved a safe NPV. The HET score had significantly lower efficacy than the HEART score.
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The use of ketorolac for analgesia in the emergency department is a common practice for pediatric patients. There is a lack of guidance on optimal dosing to limit the risk of side effects especially in pediatric patients. The standard dosing is weight based with a cap at 30 mg, a dose which is higher than the typical max used for adult patients. The objective of this study is to compare the analgesic effect of intravenous ketorolac at doses of 15 mg versus doses greater than 15 mg. ⋯ This retrospective review demonstrates an association of similar analgesic effects using a capped dose of 15 mg of IV ketorolac as compared to larger doses in pediatric patients admitted to the ED.