scholarly journals The impact of presenting problem based guidelines for children with medical problems in an accident and emergency department

2004 ◽  
Vol 89 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Armon
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Medical Problems ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Applying quality improvement principles to improve accident and emergency department overcrowding and flow in Rwanda: a case study

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Claude Byiringiro ◽  
Rex Wong ◽  
Caroline Davis ◽  
Jeffery Williams ◽  
Joseph Becker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Triage System ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department ◽  
The Impact

Few case studies exist related to hospital accident and emergency department (A&E) quality improvement efforts in lowerresourced settings. We sought to report the impact of quality improvement principles applied to A&E overcrowding and flow in the largest referral and teaching hospital in Rwanda. A pre- and post-intervention study was conducted. A linked set of strategies included reallocating room space based on patient/visitor demand and flow, redirecting traffic, establishing a patient triage system and installing white boards to facilitate communication. Two months post-implementation, the average number of patients boarding in the A&E hallways significantly decreased from 28 (pre-intervention) to zero (post-intervention), p < .001. Foot traffic per dayshift hour significantly decreased from 221 people to 160 people (28%, p < .001), and non-A&E related foot traffic decreased from 81.4% to 36.3% (45% decrease, p < .001). One hundred percent of the A&E patients have been formally triaged since the implementation of the newly established triage system. Our project used quality improvement principles to reduce the number of patients boarding in the hallways and to decrease unnecessary foot traffic in the A&E department with little investment from the hospital. Key success factors included a collaborative multidisciplinary project team, strong internal champions, data-driven analysis, evidence-based interventions, senior leadership support, and rapid application of initial implementation learnings. Results to date show the application of quality improvement principles can help hospitals in resource-limited settings improve quality of care at relatively low cost.

Cardiology referrals before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a health service evaluation

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Chun Shing Kwok ◽  
Jessica Bennett ◽  
Sonia Curry ◽  
Debbie Jackson ◽  
Hayley Burke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Tertiary Hospital ◽  
Service Evaluation ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Cardiac Assessment ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health Service Evaluation

Background/Aims The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented changes to healthcare services. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on referrals to cardiology services in a tertiary hospital. Methods Royal Stoke University Hospital has a cardiac assessment nurse team that provides rapid access to specialist cardiology opinion. All referrals are recorded on a database, which was used to determine how COVID-19 affected the number and types of referrals to cardiology during March–September 2019 and March–September 2020. Results A total of 12 447 referrals were made to the cardiac assessment nurse teams over the evaluation period. Compared to the average number of referrals across all months, there was a decline of 10.5%, 31.2% and 18.5% during March, April and May 2019 respectively. Comparing 2020 to 2019, there were more 999 calls (17.7% vs 15.7%) and accident and emergency referrals (46.5% vs 45.0%), and fewer interhospital referrals (16.0% vs 19.6%). In terms of advice provided for the 999 referrals, a greater number were advised to go to the accident and emergency department (10.5% vs 0%) and direct phone advice provided to those in other settings increased (11.7% vs 0.1%) in 2020. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a reduction in the number of overall referrals to cardiology, while also demonstrating a shift towards more advice to attend the accident and emergency department for assessment or direct phone advice being provided about management in the community.

scholarly journals Impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on urgent referrals to secondary care otolaryngology: a prospective case series

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
M S Osborne ◽  
E Bentley ◽  
A Farrow ◽  
J Chan ◽  
J Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Secondary Care ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Medical Setting ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department ◽  
Prospective Case Series ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objective As the novel coronavirus disease 2019 changed patient presentation, this study aimed to prospectively identify these changes in a single ENT centre. Design A seven-week prospective case series was conducted of urgently referred patients from primary care and accident and emergency department. Results There was a total of 133 referrals. Referral rates fell by 93 per cent over seven weeks, from a mean of 5.4 to 0.4 per day. Reductions were seen in referrals from both primary care (89 per cent) and the accident and emergency department (93 per cent). Presentations of otitis externa and epistaxis fell by 83 per cent, and presentations of glandular fever, tonsillitis and peritonsillar abscess fell by 67 per cent. Conclusion Coronavirus disease 2019 has greatly reduced the number of referrals into secondary care ENT. The cause for this reduction is likely to be due to patients’ increased perceived risk of the virus presence in a medical setting. The impact of this reduction is yet to be ascertained, but will likely result in a substantial increase in emergency pressures once the lockdown is lifted and the general public's perception of the coronavirus disease 2019 risk reduces.

Use of an accident and emergency department observation ward in the management of head injury

1993 ◽  
Vol 80 (8) ◽  
pp. 1079-1079 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. F. T. Brown ◽  
G. J. Wilkes ◽  
C. T. Myers ◽  
R. E. Maclaren
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Head Injury ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department

Hand Infections: An Audit of 160 Infections Treated in an Accident and Emergency Department

1993 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. STEVENSON ◽  
I. W. R. ANDERSON
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Complete Resolution ◽  
Wound Care ◽  
Duration Of Treatment ◽  
Mean Delay ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Careful Assessment

160 consecutive hand infections presented to an Accident and Emergency department over a four-month period. All but one were treated solely on an out-patient basis. The mean delay to presentation was three days, the mean duration of treatment was six days. Follow-up to complete resolution was achieved in 89% of cases. No patients were treated with parenteral antibiotics. The need for careful assessment, early aggressive surgery, and meticulous attention to the principles of wound care by experienced clinicians is emphasized.

scholarly journals Radiological features of body packers: An experience from a regional accident and emergency department in close proximity to the Hong Kong International Airport

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 202-210
Author(s):  
Ho Kai Patrick Tsang ◽  
Cheuk Kei Kathy Wong ◽  
Oi Fung Wong ◽  
Wing Lun William Chan ◽  
Hing Man Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Body Packing ◽  
Radiological Features ◽  
International Airport ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department ◽  
Body Packers ◽  
Solid Form ◽  
Hong Kong International Airport

Background: Body packing is a frequently used method for drug trafficking. Local information about the clinical and radiological features of body packing is lacking. Objectives: To evaluate the radiological features of body packers presenting to a hospital near to the Hong Kong International Airport and to compare the radiological features of solid form versus liquid cocaine. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. Medical notes of 269 suspected body packers, presenting to the Accident and Emergency Department of North Lantau Hospital under the detention by the law enforcement personnel from 1st January 2015 to 28th February 2017, were reviewed. The radiological features of body packing were retrospectively evaluated. Results: Sixty-nine cases were confirmed body packers radiographically. Majority of them (81%, 56/69) were cocaine packers. Powder form cocaine (67%, 49/69) was the most popular drug packed, followed by liquid cocaine (15%, 10/69). There was a trend of increasing incidence of liquid cocaine packers. The classical ‘double condom’, ‘tic tac’ and ‘halo’ signs were present in 94%, 72.5% and 42% of cases with radiologically confirmed body packing respectively. The ‘rosette’ sign was only identified in 1 case. Three new radiological signs, the ‘bag of eggs’, ‘lucent triangle’ and ‘black crescent’ sign, were suggested to aid identification of drug packets. The classical ‘tic tac’ sign was absent in all liquid cocaine packing cases (p<0.05). The liquid cocaine packets appeared irregular with indistinct border in majority of cases (p<0.05). The solid form packets were mostly opaque to faeces while liquid cocaine had variable density (p<0.05). Most solid form packets had homogeneous content which was in contrast to the heterogeneous content in liquid cocaine (p<0.05). Conclusion: Failure in detecting drug body packing may result in medicolegal consequences. Emergency physicians need to be aware of subtle radiological signs of liquid cocaine packets in the plain abdominal radiography.

scholarly journals A Retrospective Review of Patients with Radiological Missed Fractures in an Emergency Department in Hong Kong

2003 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 215-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
VCH Ng ◽  
FL Lau
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Lower Limbs ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Spinal Region ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department ◽  
Clinical Records ◽  
Christian Hospital

Aim To review the clinical spectrum and outcome of radiological missed fractures in the Accident and Emergency Department of United Christian Hospital (UCH) in 2002. Method In UCH, radiologists report all X-Rays taken in the Accident and Emergency Department (AED) within 48 hours. The study period was from 1st January 2002 to 31st December 2002. AED notes, relevant clinical records and all X-rays of patients with suspected missed fractures as reported by radiologists were reviewed for information on clinical features, treatments and outcomes. Results A total of 286 cases of missed fractures were found. Fourteen (4.9%) involved the skull and maxillofacial region, 83 (29.0%) involved the chest region, 53 (18.5%) involved the spinal region, 72 (25.2%) involved the upper limbs and 64 (22.4%) involved the lower limbs. Of these 286 cases, 137 (47.9%) were followed up in AED, 90 (31.5%) were referred to specialist clinics for further management, 26 (9.1%) required admission to hospital for further assessment and treatment, and 33 (11.5%) defaulted follow up. Furthermore, 87 (30.4%) of these 286 missed fractures required a change in management plan: 3 missed fractures required operative intervention (internal fixation) and 84 missed fractures required some form of external immobilisation. This group of patient did not lodge any complaint or claim. Conclusion A&E doctors missed quite a number of fractures that might result in significant morbidity. However, a reporting system by radiologists within 48 hours from discharge can pick up all these missed fractures, and may prevent complaints and litigations.

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