Major Myth-conceptions of ED overcrowding
Creation myths:
An ED problem due to GP type patients and inefficient EDs
Outcomes / management myth:
Poor patient outcomes are rare
Poor outcomes have minimal consequences
Therefore - ERs are good places to store excess admitted patients
Solution myths:
Access block is inevitable and insoluble AND / OR
Access block can be sorted out by GP clinics, telephone lines or [...]
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The times they are a changing.
With the era of Generation Y doctors; open source publishing; micro-blogging; stumbling and tweeting now upon us it is important to review the potential implications of the internet age on emergency medicine.
The generational transition behind this digital revolution has already occurred in many other employment sectors and as emergency physicians [...]
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A colleague just reminded me of one of my favorite ’letters’ published in The Courier Mail, Queensland, Australia on May 04 2008. It pertains to the workings of the emergency physician. For more information on emergency medicine and waiting times - read Primum Non Nocere…
Dear Potential Patient,
I WORK in a public hospital emergency department, so that means [...]
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Posted in Emergency Musical Interlude on Oct 13th, 2008
Proctology - The Musical
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EPIDEMIOLOGY
5-12% upper G1 bleeds.
50% cirrhosis patients have varices, up to 85% in Child-Pugh C patients.
25-35% of patients with chronic liver disease will have a variceal bleed, which accounts for 80-90% of bleeding episodes in those patients.
Mortality of a first bleed 30%, with rebleeding in 30-60% after banding / sclerotherapy, and 32-80% 1-year mortality.
MANAGEMENT
Endoscopic:
Banding ligation. Lower [...]
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A/Prof Anthony F T Brown lecture series aims to contextualize the most pertinent evidence based information pertaining to acute medical emergencies in summative statements. The principal sources for the evidence based material include:
Textbooks
Evidence-based Medicine: How to Practice and Teach EBM. Straus SE, Richardson WS et al eds. 3rdedition 2005, Churchill Livingstone. The original and best EBM handbook with [...]
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A regular flashlight can be handy in times of emergency - and now this device has been made even handier with the addition of audible BLS guidelines. This talking flashlight prompts the user through the critical aspects of the CPR process with a clear and calm female voice. It includes adult, child and baby specific instructions compliant with [...]
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