Search

The article presents a cross-sectional study which examined the percentage of abstracts published in peer-reviewed journal in 2011-2015. The abstracts were taken from websites of national and international emergency medicine (EM) societies. Among the data collected in the study are abstract title, conference name, publication year, and total number of manuscript authors.

The article focuses on patient satisfaction scores and rankings are reflected in administrative decisions and have been used for survey results can determine physician compensation at the group level and create rankings of individual providers. Topics include the satisfaction data are used to rank hospitals against peers and competitors, and the emergency medicine provides a unique setting for analysis of patient satisfaction reports.

The article offers information on novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus poses many unique challenges to the implementation of clinical research and particularly as it relates to the processes of informed consent. Topics include the traditional methods of in-person informed consent were no longer plausible, and the face-to-face discussions may expose researchers and patients to increased risk of contracting and spreading the virus.

Objectives The objective was to develop and evaluate an early sepsis detection score for the prehospital setting. Methods A retrospective analysis of consecutive patients who were admitted by emergency medical services ( EMS) to the emergency department of the Jena University Hospital was performed. Because potential predictors for sepsis should be based on consensus criteria, the following parameters were extracted from the EMS protocol for further analysis: temperature, heart rate ( HR), respiratory rate ( RR), oxygen saturation (SaO2), Glasgow Coma Scale score, blood glucose, and systolic blood pressure ( sBP). Potential predictors were stratified based on inspection of Loess graphs. Backward model selection was performed to select risk factors for the final model. The Prehospital Early Sepsis Detection ( PRESEP) score was calculated as the sum of simplified regression weights. Its predictive validity was compared to the Modified Early Warning Score ( MEWS), the Robson screening tool, and the BAS 90-30-90. Results A total of 375 patients were included in the derivation sample; 93 (24.8%) of these had sepsis, including 60 patients with severe sepsis and 12 patients with septic shock. Backward model selection identified temperature, HR, RR, SaO2, and sBP for inclusion in the PRESEP score. Simplified weights were as follows: temperature > 38°C = 4, temperature < 36°C = 1, HR > 90 beats/min = 2, RR > 22 breaths/min = 1, SaO2 < 92% = 2, and sBP < 90 mm Hg = 2. The cutoff value for a possible existing septic disease based on maximum Youden's index was ≥4 (sensitivity 0.85, specificity 0.86, positive predictive value [ PPV] 0.66, and negative predictive value [ NPV] 0.95). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ( AUC) of the PRESEP score was 0.93 (95% confidence interval [ CI] = 0.89 to 0.96) and was larger than the AUC of the MEWS (0.93 vs. 0.77, p < 0.001). The PRESEP score surpassed MEWS and BAS 90-60-90 for sensitivity (0.74 and 0.62, respectively), specificity (0.75 and 0.83), PPV (0.45 and 0.51), and NPV (0.91 and 0.89). The Robson screening tool had a higher sensitivity and NPV (0.95 and 0.97), but its specificity and PPV were lower (0.43 and 0.32). Conclusions The PRESEP score could be a valuable tool for identifying septic patients in the prehospital setting in the case of suspected infection. It should be prospectively validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes a solution for professional advancement that was implemented by the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, to increase the willingness and ability of faculty to meet existing promotion standards to the highest rank of professor. Details relating to the history of the institution and its staffing are offered, as is a notation of how elements of this academic affairs program have been adopted by other departments in the school.

Expanding hospital capacity by developing an observation unit may be an important strategy in congested hospitals. Understanding the principles for evaluating the potential impact and appropriate sizing of an observation unit is important. The objective of this paper is to contrast two approaches to determining observation unit sizing and profitability, real options, and a flow analysis based on Little's Law. Both methods have validity and use similar data sets. The Little's Law approach has the advantage of providing an estimate of appropriate size for the unit and a natural internal consistency check on data. The benefits of an observation unit can depend critically on assumptions regarding backfill patients, and minor changes in data or assumptions can translate into significant changes in annual financial consequences. Using both the real options and the Little's Law approaches provides some internal consistency checks on data and assumptions. Both are sufficiently simple to be easily mastered and conducted. Using these two simple and accessible methods in parallel for computing the size and financial consequences for an observation unit is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The pulmonary embolism rule-out criteria (PERC rule) is a nine-component decision rule derived to exclude pulmonary embolism (PE) without the use of formal diagnostic testing (D-dimer, computed tomography pulmonary angiography, ventilation–perfusion lung scanning, or venous ultrasonography) when all nine components are negative (“PERC negative”). This study examined whether clinicians who document PERC negative also document results of all nine components of the PERC rule. Methods: This was a pilot study at a single-center, urban teaching emergency department (ED) with a residency program in emergency medicine. Patients were over 17 years of age with at least one of nine predefined chief complaints. Clinicians were asked three questions regarding suspicion for PE, intent to use the PERC rule, and the result. Charts were independently reviewed by two authors for fidelity of the nine PERC components. Patients were followed for PE outcome at 14 days. Results: The study examined 526 patients cared for by 82 clinicians, who indicated suspicion for PE in 183 of 526 (35%) and intent to use the PERC rule in 115 of 526 (22%) cases, of whom 65 of 115 were documented as PERC negative. No formal test for PE was ordered in 49 of 65 (75%), and 46 of 49 had incomplete documentation to support PERC negative. The most common deficiency was omission of two risk factors for PE in the rule (prior venous thromboembolism or recent surgery). Six patients had PE diagnosed within 14 days, but none of these had been deemed PERC negative. Conclusions: Clinicians seldom document all nine data elements of the PERC rule in patients they deem PERC negative. These data suggest the need for paper or electronic aids to support use of the PERC rule. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:1016–1019 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a frequent diagnostic consideration in emergency department (ED) patients, yet diagnosis is challenging because symptoms of PE are nonspecific. Guidelines recommend the use of clinical decision tools to increase efficiency and avoid harms from overtesting, including D‐dimer screening in patients not at high risk for PE. Women undergo testing for PE more often than men yet have a lower yield from testing. Our study objective was to determine whether patient sex influenced the odds of received guideline‐consistent care. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study at two large U.S. academic EDs from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2018. Nonpregnant patients aged 18–49 years were included if they presented with chest pain, shortness of breath, hemoptysis, or syncope and underwent testing for PE with D‐dimer or imaging. Demographic and clinical data were exported from the electronic medical record (EMR). Pretest risk scores were calculated using manually abstracted EMR data. Diagnostic testing was then compared with recommended testing based on pretest risk. The primary outcome was receipt of guideline‐consistent care, which required an elevated screening D‐dimer prior to imaging in all non–high‐risk patients. Results: We studied 1991 discrete patient encounters; 37% (735) of patients were male and 63% (1256) were female. Baseline characteristics, including revised Geneva scores, were similar between sexes. Female patients were more likely to receive guideline‐consistent care (70% [874/1256] female vs. 63% [463/735] male, p < 0.01) and less likely to be diagnosed with PE (3.1% [39/1256] female vs. 5.3% [39/735] male, p < 0.05). The most common guideline deviation in both sexes was obtaining imaging without a screening D‐dimer in a non–high‐risk patient (75% [287/382] female vs. 75% [205/272] male). Conclusions: In this cohort, females were more likely than males to receive care consistent with current guidelines and less likely to be diagnosed with PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the use of medical scribes in pediatric emergency departments (PEDs) and their impact on physician productivity, patient throughput, and work relative value units (wRVUs). Topics include conflicting results from previous studies on the benefits of medical scribes in PEDs, the use of medical scribes in different clinical roles and experience levels, and the need for cost-benefit analyses when implementing scribe programs in academic centers.

Background: We identify patient demographic and emergency department (ED) characteristics associated with rooming prioritization decisions among ED patients who are assigned the same triage acuity score. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of adult ED patients with similar triage acuity, as defined as an Emergency Severity Index (ESI) of 3, at a large academic medical center, during 2019. Violations of a first‐come‐first‐served (FCFS) policy for rooming are identified and used to create weighted multiple logistic regression models and 1:M matched case–control conditional logistic regression models to determine how rooming prioritization is affected by individual patient age, sex, race, and ethnicity after adjusting for patient clinical and time‐varying ED operational characteristics. Results: A total of 15,781 ED encounters were analyzed, with 1612 (10.2%) ED encounters having a rooming prioritization in violation of a FCFS policy. Patient age and race were found to be significantly associated with being prioritized in violation of FCFS in both logistic regression models. The 1:M matched model showed a statistically significant relationship between violation of rooming prioritization with increasing age in years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.009, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.005–1.013) and among African American patients compared to Caucasians (aOR 0.636, 95% CI 0.545–0.743). Conclusions: Among ED patients with a similar triage acuity (ESI 3), we identified patient age and patient race as characteristics that were associated with deviation from a FCFS prioritization in ED rooming decisions. These findings suggest that there may be patient demographic disparities in ED rooming decisions after adjusting for clinical and ED operational characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Academic Emergency Medicine is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2012; 19:98-101 © 2012 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Abstract Objectives: The objective was to assess the incidence of various technical errors committed by emergency physicians (EPs) learning to perform focused assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST). Methods: This was a retrospective review of the first 75 consecutive FAST exams for each EP from April 2000 to June 2005. Exams were assessed for noninterpretable views, misinterpretation of images, poor gain, suboptimal depth, an incomplete exam, or backward image orientation. Results: A total of 2,223 FAST exams done by 85 EPs were reviewed. Multiple noninterpretable views or misinterpreted images occurred in 24% of exams for those performing their first 10 exams, 3.6% for those performing their 41st to 50th exams, and 0% for those performing their 71st to 75th exams (Cochran-Armitage trend test = 10.5, p < 0.0001). A single noninterpretable view, poor gain, suboptimal depth, incomplete exam, or backward image orientation occurred in 48% of exams for those performing their first 10 exams, 17% for those performing their 41st to 50th exams, and 5% for those performing their 71st to 75th exams (Cochran-Armitage trend test = 11.6, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: The incidence of specific technical errors of EPs learning to perform FAST at our institution improved with hands-on experience. Interpretive skills improved more rapidly than image acquisition skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study is to elucidate the unique challenges faced by pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians from racial/ethnic groups underrepresented in medicine (URiM). Methods: This study is a subanalysis of data from 18 URiM faculty from a sample of 51 semistructured key informant interviews with PEM faculty in the top NIH‐funded pediatric departments and highest‐volume pediatric EDs in the country. Faculty are from eight hospitals representing a spectrum of geographic locations including the northeastern, midwestern, western, and southern regions of the country. Results: Of 18 study participants, the majority were Black (72.2%) and female (83.3%). Three main thematic categories were identified: challenges related to race, support systems, and suggested strategies to improve diversity and inclusion in PEM. A common race‐related experience was microaggressions from colleagues and patients. Additionally, when attempting to lead and assert themselves, URiM women in particular were perceived as "angry" and "intimidating" in a way that non‐URiM peers were not. As a result of these negative experiences, participants described the need to go above and beyond to prove themselves. Such pressure produced stress and feelings of isolation. Participants combatted these stressors through resilience strategies such as formal mentorship and peer and family support. Participants indicated the need to increase diversity and create more inclusive work environments, which would benefit both URiM physician wellness and the diverse patients they serve. Conclusion: Those URiM in PEM face subtle racial discrimination at an institutional, peer, and patient level. The stress caused by this discrimination may further contribute to physician burnout in PEM. While URiMs adopt individual resilience strategies, their unique challenges suggest the need for departmental and institutional efforts to promote greater diversity and inclusion for physician wellness, retention, and quality patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective was to evaluate the effects of direct‐access physiotherapy on patients presenting with a musculoskeletal disorder (MSKD) to the emergency department (ED) on clinical outcomes and use of health care resources. Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial in an academic ED in Québec City, Canada. We included patients aged 18 to 80 years with minor MSKD. The intervention group had direct access to a physiotherapist (PT) in the ED immediately after triage and prior to physician assessment, and the control group received usual care by the emergency physician without PT intervention. The key variables included clinical outcomes (pain, interference of pain on function) and resources use (ED return visit, medications, diagnostic tests, additional consultations). They were analyzed using descriptive statistics and compared between groups using two‐way analyses of variance, log‐linear analysis, and chi‐square tests. Results: Seventy‐eight patients suffering from MSKDs were included (40.2 ± 17.6 years old; 44% women). For the primary clinical outcome, participants in the PT group (n = 40) had statistically lower levels of pain and pain interference at 1 and 3 months. In terms of resource use, participants in the PT group returned significantly less often to the ED. At baseline and 1 month, less prescription medication was used, including opioids, but there were no differences at 3 months. Although over‐the‐counter medication was recommended more at baseline in the PT group, there were no differences in use at 1 month, and the PT group had used them less at 3 months. There were no differences between groups at follow‐up for imaging tests, other professionals consulted, and hospitalization rates. Conclusion: Patients presenting with a MSKD to the ED with direct access to a PT had better clinical outcomes and used less services and resources than those in the usual care group after ED discharge and up to 3 months after discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the many causes of seizures, emergency physicians often utilize brain computed tomography (CT) to evaluate for intracranial pathology. However, a CT exposes patients to 100 times more radiation than a chest radiograph. Previously, we developed a four‐item clinical decision instrument (CDI) to determine which patients with status epilepticus (SE) do not require emergent neuroimaging. In this study, we seek to prospectively validate our CDI in patients with a history of seizures with both SE and generalized tonic–clonic seizures. Methods: This was a prospective observational study of 1,739 consecutive patients who were recruited from two urban hospitals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. All patients, 18 years and older, who presented with a chief complaint of seizure and had emergency neuroimaging performed were eligible for inclusion. Patients were excluded from analysis if this was a first‐time seizure, had a ventriculoperitoneal shunt, or had focal neurologic deficits. Results: A total of 376 patients were in the final analysis. Of the 376 patients, 10 patients (3%) had positive CTs. Nine of the 10 of the patients were identified by our CDI, resulting in a negative predictive value (NPV) of 99.5%. On secondary analysis, we refined our CDI from four to three criteria: 1) history of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), 2) active malignancy, and 3) trauma. These criteria also had a NPV of >99% when applied to patients in SE. Conclusion: The validation of our CDI showed improved NPV when compared to the derivation set. Use of the criteria of history of ICH, active malignancy, and trauma could have reduced the use of emergent neuroimaging in our cohort by up to 49%. This CDI should be validated in a larger subset of patients and in multiple centers prior to widespread adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Emergency medicine clinicians are uniquely positioned to deliver interventions to enhance linkage to evidence‐based treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) in the acute overdose period, yet little is known about patient perspectives to effectively engage patients immediately following opioid overdose. Our objective was to explore patients' perspectives on substance use treatment, perceived needs, and contextual factors that shape the choice of patients seen in the emergency department (ED) to engage with treatment and other patient support services in the acute post–opioid overdose period. Methods: We administered a brief quantitative survey and conducted semistructured interviews with 24 adult ED patients receiving care after an acute opioid overdose between June 2016 and August 2017 in an urban, academic ED. We used constant comparison method and thematic analysis to identify themes across four levels of a modified social ecologic model (individual, interpersonal, organizational, and structural). Results: The mean (±SD) age of the sample was 33.5 (±9.33) years; 83% were White and 12% were Black; 67% were male; and 83% were diagnosed with OUD, with a mean (±SD) of 3.25 (±2.64) self‐reported lifetime opioid overdoses. Eight themes were identified as influencing participants' consideration of OUD treatment and other services: (1) perceptions about control of drug use, (2) personal experience with substance use treatment, (3) role of interpersonal relationships, (4) provider communication skills, (5) stigma, (6) availability of ED resources, (7) impact of treatment policies, and (8) support for unmet basic needs. Conclusions: Patients receiving ED care following overdose in our ED are willing to discuss their opioid use and its treatment in the ED and report a variety of unmet needs. This work supports a role for ED‐based research evaluating a patient‐oriented approach to engage patients after opioid overdose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic has led to devastating repercussions on health care systems worldwide. This viral infection has a broad clinical spectrum (ranging from influenza‐like disease, viral pneumonia, and hypoxemia to acute respiratory distress syndrome requiring prolonged intensive care unit stays). The prognostic impact of measuring viral load on nasopharyngeal swab specimens (by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction [RT‐PCR]) is yet to be elucidated. Methods: Between March 3 and April 5, 2020, we conducted a retrospective study on a cohort of COVID‐19 patients (mild or severe disease) who were hospitalized after presenting to the emergency department (ED) and had at least one positive nasopharyngeal swab during their hospital stay. We led our study at the University Hospitals of Strasbourg in the Greater East region of France, one of the pandemic's epicenters in Europe. Results: We have collected samples from a cohort of 287 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID‐19 who were included in our study. Nearly half of them (50.5%) presented a mild form of the disease, while the other half (49.5%) presented a severe form, requiring mechanical ventilation. Median (interquartile range) viral load on the initial upper respiratory swab at admission was 4.76 (3.29–6.06) log10 copies/reaction. When comparing survivors and nonsurvivors, this viral load measurement did not differ according to subgroups (p = 0.332). Additionally, we have found that respiratory viral load measurement was predictive of neither in‐hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.85 to 1.31, p = 0.637) nor disease severity (AOR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.73 to 1.06, p = 0.167). Conclusion: Respiratory viral load measurement on the first nasopharyngeal swab (by RT‐PCR) during initial ED management is neither a predictor of severity nor a predictor of mortality in SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Host response to this viral infection along with the extent of preexisting comorbidities might be more foretelling of disease severity than the virus itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite reported higher rates and worse outcomes due to COVID‐19 in certain racial and ethnic groups, much remains unknown. We explored the association between Hispanic ethnicity and outcomes in COVID‐19 patients in Long Island, New York. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 2,039 Hispanic and non‐Hispanic Caucasian patients testing positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 between March 7 and May 23, 2020, at a large suburban academic tertiary care hospital near New York City. We explored the association of ethnicity with need for intensive care unit (ICU), invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), and mortality. Results: Of all patients, 1,079 (53%) were non‐Hispanic Caucasians and 960 (47%) were Hispanic. Hispanic patients presented in higher numbers than expected for our catchment area. Compared with Caucasians, Hispanics were younger (45 years vs. 59 years), had fewer comorbidities (66% with no comorbidities vs. 40%), were less likely to have commercial insurance (35% vs. 59%), or were less likely to come from a nursing home (2% vs. 10%). In univariate comparisons, Hispanics were less likely to be admitted (37% vs. 59%) or to die (3% vs. 10%). Age, shortness of breath, congestive heart failure (CHF), coronary artery disease (CAD), hypoxemia, and presentation from nursing homes were associated with admission. Male sex and hypoxemia were associated with ICU admission. Male sex, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and hypoxemia were associated with IMV. Male sex, CHF, CAD, and hypoxemia were associated with mortality. After other factors were adjusted for, Hispanics were less likely to be admitted (odds ratio = 0.62, 95% confidence interval = 0.52 to 0.92) but Hispanic ethnicity was not associated with ICU admission, IMV, or mortality. Conclusions: Hispanics presented at higher rates than average for our population but outcomes among Hispanic patients with COVID‐19 were similar to those of Caucasian patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is limited research on loop drainage (LD) compared to incision and drainage (I&D) for treatment of cutaneous abscesses. We investigated whether LD was noninferior to I&D for abscess resolution and whether there was any difference in repeat ED visits or complication rates between these techniques. Methods: We performed a prospective randomized controlled trial, using a convenience sample at an urban academic emergency department (ED). Subjects over 18 years who presented for first‐time management of an abscess were eligible. Patients requiring specialist drainage or hospital admission or had previous treatment for the abscess were excluded. Enrolled subjects were seen 2 weeks after treatment for blinded reevaluation of abscess resolution, and the electronic medical record was reviewed for return ED visits/abscess complications. Results: Of 2,889 patients screened, 238 subjects consented and were randomized to LD or I&D. Abscess resolution was achieved in 53/65 (81.5%) of patients in the I&D arm, compared to 66/75 (88%) in the LD arm. Fewer patients in the LD group compared to the I&D group returned to the ED for abscess‐related management during the following 14 days (37.3% vs 67.1%, p = 0.002). Among returning subjects, there was a significant difference in mean visits per subject between LD and I&D groups (0.5 vs. 1.2, p = 0.001). There were fewer complications among LD than I&D subjects (9.3% vs. 24.6%, p = 0.01). Conclusion: Our study provides evidence that LD is noninferior to I&D in achieving complete abscess resolution at 14 days and is associated with fewer return ED visits and fewer complications. This makes it an attractive alternative treatment option for abscesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Race‐based bias in health care occurs at organizational, structural, and clinical levels and impacts emergency medical care. Limited literature exists on the role of race on patient restraint in the emergency setting. This study sought to examine the role of race in physical restraint in an emergency department (ED) at a major academic medical center. Methods: Retrospective chart analysis was performed, querying all adult ED visits over a 2‐year period (2016–2018) at Massachusetts General Hospital. The associations between race and restraint and selected covariates (sex, insurance, age, diagnosis, homelessness, violence) were analyzed. Results: Of the 195,092 unique ED visits by 120,469 individuals over the selected period, 2,658 (1.4%) involved application of a physical restraint by health care providers. There was a significant effect of race on restraint (p < 0.0001). The risk ratio (RR) for Asian patients compared to white patients was 0.71 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.55 to 0.92, p = 0.009). The RR for Black patients compared to white patients was 1.22 (95% CI = 1.05 to 1.40, p = 0.007). Visits with patients having characteristics of male sex, public or no insurance, younger age, diagnoses pertaining to substance use, diagnoses pertaining to psychotic or bipolar disorders, current homelessness, and a history of violence were more likely to result in physical restraint. Conclusions: There was a significant effect of race on restraint that remained when controlling for sex, insurance, age, diagnosis, homelessness, and history of violence, all of which additionally conferred independent effects on risk. These results warrant a careful examination of current practices and potential biases in utilization of restraint in emergency settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on Pulmonary embolism (PE) being a common diagnosis in emergency departments (EDs) in the US. Topics include large number of U.S. hospitals and patients, from diverse practice settings including urban and rural academic and community centers; and respiratory failure, shock, hypotension, heart failure, and malignancy being associated with admission at the index visit.

Background: Our objectives were to test whether during a potentially life‐threatening medical emergency, perceived threat (a patient's sense of life endangerment) in the emergency department (ED) is common and associated with the subsequent development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Methods: This study was an ED‐based prospective cohort study in an academic hospital. We included adult patients requiring acute intervention in the ED for resuscitation of a potentially life‐threatening medical emergency, defined as respiratory or cardiovascular instability. We measured patient‐perceived threat in the ED using a validated patient self‐assessment measure (score range = 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating greater perceived threat). We performed blinded assessment of PTSD symptoms 30 days after discharge using the PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders‐Fifth Edition (PCL‐5). Results: Ninety‐nine of 113 (88%) patients completed follow‐up, with 98% reporting some degree of perceived threat, median (interquartile range [IQR]) perceived threat score 12 (6 to 17), and 72% reported PTSD symptoms in relation to their ED visit (median [IQR] PCL‐5 score = 7 [0 to 30]). Patients with respiratory instability had higher median (IQR) perceived threat scores (16 [9 to 18] vs. 9 [6 to 14)] and PCL‐5 scores (10 [2 to 40] vs. 3 [0 to 17]) compared to patients without respiratory instability. In a multivariable linear regression model adjusting for potential confounders, greater perceived threat in the ED was independently associated with higher PCL‐5 scores (β = 0.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.15 to 1.42). Among the individual perceived threat items, the feeling of helplessness during resuscitation had the strongest association with PCL‐5 score (β = 5.24, 95% CI = 2.29 to 8.18). Conclusions: Perceived threat during potentially life‐threatening emergencies is common and independently associated with development of PTSD symptoms. Additional research to test whether reduction of perceived threat in the ED attenuates the development of PTSD symptoms following potentially life‐threatening emergencies is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Despite increased focus on opioid prescribing, little is known about the influence of prescription opioid medication information given to patients in the emergency department (ED). The study objective was to evaluate the effect of an Electronic Medication Complete Communication (EMC2) Opioid Strategy on patients' safe use of opioids and knowledge about opioids. Methods: This was a three‐arm prospective, randomized controlled pragmatic trial with randomization occurring at the physician level. Consecutive discharged patients at an urban academic ED (>88,000 visits) with new hydrocodone‐acetaminophen prescriptions received one of three care pathways: 1) usual care, 2) EMC2 intervention, or 3) EMC2 + short message service (SMS) text messaging. The ED EMC2 intervention triggered two patient‐facing educational tools (MedSheet, literacy‐appropriate prescription wording [Take‐Wait‐Stop]) and three provider‐facing reminders to counsel (directed to ED physician, dispensing pharmacist, follow‐up physician). Patients in the EMC2 + SMS arm additionally received one text message/day for 1 week. Follow‐up at 1 to 2 weeks assessed "demonstrated safe use" (primary outcome). Secondary outcomes including patient knowledge and actual safe use (via medication diaries) were assessed 2 to 4 days and 1 month following enrollment. Results: Among the 652 enrolled, 343 completed follow‐up (57% women; mean ± SD age = 42 ± 14.0 years). Demonstrated safe opioid use occurred more often in the EMC2 group (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.19 to 5.06), but not the EMC2 + SMS group (aOR = 1.87, 95% CI = 0.90 to 3.90) compared with usual care. Neither intervention arm improved medication safe use as measured by medication diary data. Medication knowledge, measured by a 10‐point composite knowledge score, was greater in the EMC2 + SMS group (β = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.09 to 1.06) than usual care. Conclusions: The study found that the EMC2 tools improved demonstrated safe dosing, but these benefits did not translate into actual use based on medication dairies. The text‐messaging intervention did result in improved patient knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the prognostic tools to guide clinicians in acute risk stratification of adult mild traumatic brain injury patients (mTBI). It mentions that demographic and injury characteristics were based on participants' self-report obtained by trained research coordinators and a review of the electronic medical record; and also mention data-driven strategies are needed to provide clinical decision support for mTBI risk stratification.

Background: Focused cardiac ultrasound (FOCUS) is insensitive for pulmonary embolism (PE). Theoretically, when a clot is large enough to cause vital sign abnormalities, it is more likely to show signs of right ventricular dysfunction on FOCUS, although this has not been well quantified. A rapid bedside test that could quickly and reliably exclude PE in patients with abnormal vital signs could be of high utility in emergency department (ED) patients. We hypothesized that in patients with tachycardia or hypotension, the sensitivity of FOCUS for PE would increase substantially. Methods: We performed a prospective observational multicenter cohort study involving a convenience sample of patients from six urban academic EDs. Patients suspected to have PE with tachycardia (heart rate [HR] ≥ 100 beats/min) or hypotension (systolic blood pressure [sBP] < 90 mm Hg) underwent FOCUS before computed tomography angiography (CTA). FOCUS included assessment for right ventricular dilation, McConnell's sign, septal flattening, tricuspid regurgitation, and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion. If any of these were abnormal, FOCUS was considered positive, while if all were normal, FOCUS was considered negative. We a priori planned a subgroup analysis of all patients with a HR ≥ 110 beats/min (regardless of their sBP). We then determined the diagnostic test characteristics of FOCUS for PE in the entire patient population and in the predefined subgroup, based on CTA as the criterion standard. Inter‐rater reliability of FOCUS was determined by blinded review of images by an emergency physician with fellowship training in ultrasound. Results: A total of 143 subjects were assessed for enrollment and 136 were enrolled; four were excluded because they were non–English‐speaking and three because of inability to obtain any FOCUS windows. The mean (±SD) age of enrolled subjects was 56 (±7) years, mean (±SD) HR was 114 (±12) beats/min, and 37 (27.2%) subjects were diagnosed with PE on CTA. In all subjects, FOCUS was 92% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 78% to 98%) sensitive and 64% specific (95% CI = 53% to 73%) for PE. In the subgroup of 98 subjects with a HR ≥ 110 beats/min, FOCUS was 100% sensitive (95% CI = 88% to 100%) and 63% specific (95% CI = 51% to 74%) for PE. There was substantial interobserver agreement for FOCUS (κ = 1.0, 95% CI = 0.31 to 1.0). Conclusions: A negative FOCUS examination may significantly lower the likelihood of the diagnosis of PE in most patients who are suspected of PE and have abnormal vital signs. This was especially true in those patients with a HR ≥ 110 beats/min. Our results suggest that FOCUS can be an important tool in the initial evaluation of ED patients with suspected PE and abnormal vital signs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article, the authors present their study which examined the characteristics of patients who underwent COVID-19 vaccination at the emergency department (ED) of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) in New Jersey to determine whether ED vaccination can better reach vulnerable people. Based on the results, ED vaccination is effective in reaching vulnerable individuals.

Background: Depression is one of the most common illnesses in the United States, with increased prevalence among people with lower socioeconomic status and chronic mental illness who often seek care in the emergency department (ED). We sought to estimate the rate and severity of major depressive disorder (MDD) in a nonpsychiatric ED population and its association with subsequent ED visits and hospitalizations. Methods: This prospective cohort study enrolled a convenience sample of English‐speaking adults presenting to an urban academic medical center ED without psychiatric complaints between January 1, 2015, and September 21, 2015. Patients completed a computerized adaptive depression diagnostic screen (CAD‐MDD) and dimensional depression severity measurement test (CAT‐DI) via tablet computer. Primary outcomes included number of ED visits and hospitalizations assessed from index visit until January 1, 2016. Negative binomial regression modeling was performed to assess associations between depression, depression severity, clinical covariates, and utilization outcomes. Results: Of 999 enrolled patients, 27% screened positive for MDD. The presence of MDD conveyed a 61% increase in the rate of ED visits (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.27 to 2.03) and a 49% increase in the rate of hospitalizations (IRR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.06–2.09). For each 10% increase in MDD severity, there was a 10% increase in the relative rate of subsequent ED visits (IRR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.04 to 1.16) and hospitalizations (IRR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.18). Across the range of the severity scale there was over a 2.5‐fold increase in the rate of ED visits and hospitalization rates. Conclusions: Rates of depression were high among a convenience sample of English‐speaking adult ED patients presenting with nonpsychiatric complaints and independently associated with increased risk of subsequent ED utilization and hospitalization. Standardized assessment tools that provide rapid, accurate, and precise classification of MDD severity have the potential to play an important role in identifying ED patients in need of urgent psychiatric resource referral. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ketamine is an emerging drug used in the management of undifferentiated, severe agitation in the prehospital setting. However, prior work has indicated that ketamine may exacerbate psychotic symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. The objective of this study was to describe psychiatric outcomes in patients who receive prehospital ketamine for severe agitation. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study, conducted at two tertiary academic medical centers, utilizing chart review of patients requiring prehospital sedation for severe agitation from January 1, 2014, to June 30, 2016. Patients received either intramuscular (IM) versus intravenous (IV) ketamine or IM versus IV benzodiazepine. The primary outcome was psychiatric inpatient admission with secondary outcomes including ED psychiatric evaluation and nonpsychiatric inpatient admission. Generalized estimating equations and Fisher's exact tests were used to compare cohorts. Results: During the study period, 141 patient encounters met inclusion with 59 (42%) receiving prehospital ketamine. There were no statistically significant differences between the ketamine and benzodiazepine cohorts for psychiatric inpatient admission (6.8% vs. 2.4%, difference = 4.3%, 95% CI = –2% to 12%, p = 0.23) or ED psychiatric evaluation (8.6% vs. 15%, difference = –6.8%, 95% CI = –18% to 5%, p = 0.23). Patients with schizophrenia who received ketamine did not require psychiatric inpatient admission (17% vs. 10%, difference = 6.7%, 95% CI = –46% to 79%, p = 0.63) or ED psychiatric evaluation (17% vs. 50%, difference = –33%, 95% CI = –100% to 33%, p = 0.55) significantly more than those who received benzodiazepines, although the subgroup was small (n = 16). While there was no significant difference in the nonpsychiatric admission rate between the ketamine and benzodiazepine cohorts (35% vs. 51%, p = 0.082), nonpsychiatric admissions in the benzodiazepine cohort were largely driven by intubation (63% vs. 3.8%, difference = 59%, 95% CI = 38% to 79%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Administration of prehospital ketamine for severe agitation was not associated with an increase in the rate of psychiatric evaluation in the emergency department or psychiatric inpatient admission when compared with benzodiazepine treatment, regardless of the patient's psychiatric history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Evidence‐based clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the treatment of pneumonia and sepsis have existed for many years with multiple studies suggesting improved patient outcomes. Despite their importance, little is known about variation in emergency department (ED) adherence to these CPGs. Our objectives were to estimate variation in ED adherence across CPGs for pneumonia and sepsis and identify patient, provider, and environmental factors associated with adherence. Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective study using standard medical record review methods. The population consisted of consecutive adults hospitalized for pneumonia or sepsis (identified by discharge ICD‐9 codes) at five Colorado hospitals (two academic, three community) who were admitted to the hospital from the ED and for whom the ED diagnosed or initiated treatment. The outcome measured was ED adherence to the CPG (primary) and in‐hospital mortality (secondary). Hierarchical generalized linear models were used for analysis. Results: Among 827 patients, ED care was 57% adherence to CPGs with significant variation in adherence across CPGs (sepsis 50%, pneumonia 64%, p < 0.001). Patients were less likely to receive adherent care if they presented with chief complaints that were associated but not typical of the diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] = 0.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.4–0.8), received an ED diagnosis that was not specific to the CPG (associated diagnosis OR = 0.3 [95% CI = 0.2–0.5]; unrelated diagnosis OR = 0.4 [95% CI = 0.2–0.6]) or presented to a community hospital (OR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.4–0.9). ED CPG nonadherence was associated with higher in‐hospital mortality (OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.2–4.8). Conclusion: Adherence to ED infectious CPGs for pneumonia and sepsis varies significantly across diseases and types of institutions with significant room for improvement, especially in light of a significant association with in‐hospital mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on emergency department (ED) patients with a Prolonged Corrected QT Intervalm which increased 30 day mortality. Topics discussed include ED-based study estimating mortality found that five percent of admitted patients died; electronic database records for patient demographics on all ED investigations and results; and highlights Prolonged QT which signifies short-term increased risk of ventricular dysrhythmia or death.

Background: Antibiotics are commonly prescribed during emergency department (ED) and urgent care center (UCC) visits for viral acute respiratory infection (ARI). We evaluate the comparative effectiveness of an antibiotic stewardship intervention adapted for acute care ambulatory settings (adapted intervention) to a stewardship intervention that additionally incorporates behavioral nudges (enhanced intervention) in reducing inappropriate prescriptions. Methods: This study was a pragmatic, cluster‐randomized clinical trial conducted in three academic health systems comprising five adult and pediatric EDs and four UCCs. Randomization of the nine sites was stratified by health system; all providers at each site received either the adapted or the enhanced intervention. The main outcome was the proportion of antibiotic‐inappropriate ARI diagnosis visits that received an outpatient antibiotic prescription by individual providers. We estimated a hierarchical mixed‐effects logistic regression model comparing visits during the influenza season for 2016 to 2017 (baseline) and 2017 to 2018 (intervention). Results: There were 44,820 ARI visits among 292 providers across all nine cluster sites. Antibiotic prescribing for ARI visits dropped from 6.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.5% to 7.9%) to 2.4% (95% CI = 1.3% to 3.4%) during the study period. We found a significant reduction in inappropriate prescribing after adjusting for health‐system and provider‐level effects from 2.2% (95% CI = 1.0% to 3.4%) to 1.5% (95% CI = 0.7% to 2.3%) with an odds ratio of 0.67 (95% CI = 0.54 to 0.82). Difference‐in‐differences between the two interventions was not significantly different. Conclusion: Implementation of antibiotic stewardship for ARI is feasible and effective in the ED and UCC settings. More intensive behavioral nudging methods were not more effective in high‐performance settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective was to determine the prevalence of compassion fatigue (CF), burnout (BO), and compassion satisfaction (CS) and identify potential personal and professional predictors of these phenomena in pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians. Methods: A modified Compassion Fatigue and Satisfaction Self‐Test for Helpers and a questionnaire of personal and professional characteristics were distributed electronically to PEM physicians nationally. The prevalence of these phenomena was calculated. Hierarchical linear regression models for CF, BO, and CS as a function of potential risk factors were constructed. Results: The final analyzable survey rate represented 22.7% of the physicians invited to participate. The prevalences of CF, BO, and CS were 16.4, 21.5, and 18.5%, respectively. BO score, distress about a "clinical situation," "physical work environment," and engaging in prayer/meditation were each significant determinants of higher CF scores, whereas "socializing with family/friends" was significantly associated with lower CF scores. CF score, emotional depletion, and distress due to "coworkers" were each significant determinants of higher BO scores, whereas CS score and "talking with a family member" as a means of self‐care were significantly associated with lower BO scores. Socializing with family/friends and >20 years as PEM provider were each significant determinants of higher CS scores, whereas BO score, emotional depletion, distress about the physical work environment and "administrative issues," 10% to 24% of time spent caring for pediatric patients, and "talking with life partner" about work‐related distress were each significant determinants of lower CS scores. We acknowledge that the generalizability of our findings is limited by the sample size and by the fact that participants were largely female, Caucasian, and junior faculty and worked in academic medical centers. Conclusions: PEM physicians are at risk for developing CF, BO, and low CS. Proactive awareness of these phenomena and their predictors may allow providers to better manage the unique challenges and emotional stressors of the pediatric ED to enhance personal well‐being and professional performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute agitation in the emergency department (ED) represents a danger to both patients and their caregivers. Medication is often needed, and few high‐quality randomized trials have evaluated the optimal drugs for this vulnerable population. In the United States, as of 2017, randomized trials of drugs typically cannot be conducted under Waiver of Consent (46 CFR 45.116), and Exception From Informed Consent trials (21 CFR 50.24) are limited to life‐threatening conditions, are onerous, and require filing an investigational new drug application with the FDA. We sought to conduct a randomized double‐dummy trial of inhaled loxapine versus intramuscular haloperidol + lorazepam for acute agitation in the ED by obtaining consent in advance ("preconsent") in patients at risk of future agitation, allowing study drug administration up to 3 years later if the patient presented with acute agitation. Objective: We sought to report the successful enrollment rate of patients preconsented at an earlier ED visit for this trial. Methods: This was an analysis of patients age 18 to 64 with bipolar I disorder or schizophrenia preconsented for enrollment in the trial (clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02877108) conducted at a single urban academic center seeing approximately 60,000 patients per year. Eligible patients were assessed for capacity to consent by trained research associates, and informed consent was obtained at an ED visit for the possibility of administering drugs for agitation within the next 3 years. In the event the patient later presented to the ED and the attending physician deemed the patient required treatment for acute agitation, preconsent was confirmed and study drug would be administered. Results: Over 67 days, 1,461 patients were screened in the ED, 269 had bipolar I or schizophrenia, 194 of whom had a contraindication to inhaled loxapine leaving 75 eligible patients; preconsent was obtained in 43 patients. Four additional patients who had not preconsented were consented for the trial in real time (three by surrogate, one patient had capacity while agitated) resulting in a total of 47 consented patients. Of these 47, a total of 12 were later removed from the study: 10 patients had unrecognized exclusion criteria for inhaled loxapine, one preconsented patient contacted the investigators at a later date and asked to be removed, and one surrogate revoked consent immediately after providing it. Only two patients were successfully enrolled, neither by preconsent: one was enrolled via a surrogate the day of enrollment, and the other was mildly agitated and had capacity to consent. The remaining patient with a valid surrogate consent did not receive study medication. Conclusions: Utilization of preconsent to enroll patients in a randomized trial of treatments for acute agitation in the ED requires substantial resources and may not be feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective was to examine the relationship between patient uncertainty at the time of emergency department (ED) discharge as measured by the "Uncertainty Scale" (U‐Scale) and 30‐day return ED visits. We hypothesized that a higher score on the U‐Scale predicts a higher likelihood of a 30‐day return ED visit. Methods: This was a cross‐sectional single‐site pilot study performed with adult patients discharged from an urban academic ED to assess the relationship of U‐Scale total and subscale scores with 30‐day return ED visits. We collected demographic and U‐Scale scores at the time of ED discharge and subsequent 30‐day ED utilization data by follow‐up telephone call. Results: No association was found between the total U‐Scale score and subsequent ED utilization. Patients with higher uncertainty on the Treatment Quality subscale of the U‐Scale had higher odds of a 30‐day return ED visit (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.16), while patients with lower uncertainty on the Decision to Seek Care subscale had higher odds of a 30‐day return ED visit (AOR = 0.68). Conclusion: Patient uncertainty as measured by the U‐Scale total score was not predictive of subsequent ED utilization. However, uncertainty related to treatment quality and the decision to seek care as measured by the U‐Scale subscales may be important in predicting repeat ED utilization. Unlike individual patient factors such as age and race that have been associated with frequent ED visits in prior studies, these domains of uncertainty are potentially modifiable. Providers and health systems may successfully prevent recurrent acute care encounters through implementation of interventions designed to address patient uncertainty. Further work is needed to refine the U‐Scale and test its predictive utility among a larger patient cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To meet the unique comparative data needs of academic emergency departments (EDs), we describe the recent 5‐year national and regional trends for adult emergency patients' characteristics and operational parameters at academic emergency medical centers. Methods: Data collected from the recent 5‐year period academic year (AY) 2012 through AY 2016 of the Academy of Administrators in Academic Emergency Medicine (AAAEM) and the Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine (AACEM) Academic Emergency Medicine Benchmarking Survey were analyzed for trends in 1) ED volumes and modes of arrival, 2) triage acuity level, 3) trends in ED professional fee billing, and 4) disposition patterns of ED patients including admission rates and walkouts. The AY spanned the 12‐month period of July 1 through June 30. Only primary academic or academic affiliate hospitals data were included. Community and freestanding affiliated EDs were excluded. Institutional‐specific data were stratified into four cohorts based on the following annual ED visit volumes: under 40,000, 40,000 to 60,000, 60,000 to 80,000, and over 80,000. Triage acuity levels were based on the Emergency Severity Index (ESI). Professional fee billing was analyzed specifically for CPT codes 99284, 99285, and 99291 (critical care). Left without being seen (LWBS), defined as leaving before a screening examine by a licensed medical provider, and screened and left (SAL), i.e., patients who were screened by a provider, but left before definitive evaluation and management, were similarly evaluated. Total walkouts were defined as the sum of LWBS and SAL. Results: Forty‐four primary academic and academic affiliate sites completed the survey for all 5 years. The mean annual patient census increased 13.4% over the study period, with the majority (80%) of sites experiencing volume growth. Acuity/illness severity, measured as ESI 1 and 2, and CPT codes 99284, 99295, and 99291 increased an aggregate 18.2 and 8.4%, respectively. Large‐volume hospitals (>60,000–80,000, >80,000) admissions increased by 15 and 21.6%, respectively, primarily due to surge in 2016. Overall emergency medical services (EMS) arrivals increased 7.3% although admissions from EMS remained relatively stable. LWBS rates decreased 19.5%, but total walkouts did not appear to change. Conclusion: With a focus on larger academic institutions, differences were noted in the overall increases in volume and acuity. In this survey, participating institutions experienced increased volumes of patients with seemingly higher illness severity. While inroads have been made in LWBS rates, there has not been an overall decrease in total walkouts. The data reported here differed in many aspects compared to other benchmark surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Objective screening tool for patients at a high risk of developing acute brain injury (ABI) is necessary for the proper treatment of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning patients. The aim of this study is to identify clinical factors that could predict ABI due to CO poisoning in patients with an altered mental status. Methods: A prospectively collected CO poisoning registry at a single academic medical center was retrospectively analyzed. CO poisoning patients with an altered mental status at the emergency department, defined as unalert on the alert/responsive to voice/responsive to pain/unresponsive scale and underwent diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW‐MRI) between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2015, were included. ABI was defined as the presence of acute hypoxic brain lesions. Clinical predictors of ABI were identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Of 180 patients, 67 (37.2%) had ABI as revealed by DW‐MRI. Multivariate analysis showed that CO exposure duration > 5 hours (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 7.082; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.463–15.014; p < 0.001) defined as the time between CO exposure and rescue, abnormal white blood cell count (AOR = 2.568, 95% CI = 1.188–5.700, p = 0.02), and abnormal creatinine concentration (AOR = 2.667, 95% CI = 1.110–6.605, p = 0.03) were predictors of ABI. CO exposure duration had the highest predictive value (area under the curve, 0.815), and the optimal cutoff value was 5 hours. Moreover, increasing exposure durations (quartile) indicated a stepwise increase in the risk of ABI. Conclusions: In CO poisoning patients with an altered mental status, CO exposure duration was useful for predicting ABI, which may help clinicians or paramedics identify high‐risk patients and provide treatment on priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2018, the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine and the journal Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM) convened a consensus conference entitled, "Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference: Aligning the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Research Agenda to Reduce Health Outcome Gaps." This article is the product of the breakout session, "Emergency Department Collaboration‐Pediatric Emergency Medicine in Non‐Children's Hospital"). This subcommittee consisting of emergency medicine, pediatric emergency medicine, and quality improvement (QI) experts, as well as a patient advocate, identified main outcome gaps in the care of children in the emergency departments (EDs) in the following areas: variations in pediatric care and outcomes, pediatric readiness, and gaps in knowledge translation. The goal for this session was to create a research agenda that facilitates collaboration and partnering of diverse stakeholders to develop a system of care across all ED settings with the aim of improving quality and increasing safe medical care for children. The following recommended research strategies emerged: explore the use of technology as well as collaborative networks for education, research, and advocacy to develop and implement patient care guidelines, pediatric knowledge generation and dissemination, and pediatric QI and prepare all EDs to care for the acutely ill and injured pediatric patients. In conclusion, collaboration between general EDs and academic pediatric centers on research, dissemination, and implementation of evidence into clinical practice is a solution to improving the quality of pediatric care across the continuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Pediatric out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest survival outcomes are dismal (<10%). Care that is provided in adherence to established guidelines has been associated with improved survival. Lower mortality rates have been reported in higher‐volume hospitals, teaching hospitals, and trauma centers. The primary objective of this article was to explore the relationship of hospital characteristics, such as annual pediatric patient volume, to adherence to pediatric cardiac arrest guidelines during an in situ simulation. Secondary objectives included comparing adherence to other team, provider, and system factors. Methods: This prospective, multicenter, observational study evaluated interprofessional teams in their native emergency department (ED) resuscitation bays caring for a simulated 5‐year‐old child presenting in cardiac arrest. The primary outcome, adherence to the American Heart Association pediatric guidelines, was assessed using a 14‐item tool including three component domains: basic life support (BLS), pulseless electrical activity (PEA), and ventricular fibrillation (VF). Provider, team, and hospital‐level data were collected as independent data. EDs were evaluated in four pediatric volume groups (low < 1,800/year; medium 1,800–4,999; medium‐high 5,000–9,999; high > 10,000). Cardiac arrest adherence and domains were evaluated by pediatric patient volume and other team and hospital‐level characteristics, and path analyses were performed to evaluate the contribution of patient volume, systems readiness, and teamwork on BLS, PEA, and VF adherence. Results: A total of 101 teams from a spectrum of 50 EDs participated including nine low pediatric volume (<1,800/year), 36 medium volume (1,800–4,999/year), 24 medium‐high (5,000–9,999/year), and 32 high volume (≥10000/year). The median total adherence score was 57.1 (interquartile range = 50.0–78.6). This was not significantly different across the four volume groups. The highest level of adherence for BLS and PEA domains was noted in the medium‐high–volume sites, while no difference was noted for the VF domain. The lowest level of BLS adherence was noted in the lowest‐volume EDs. Improved adherence was not directly associated with higher pediatric readiness survey (PRS) score provider experience, simulation teamwork performance, or more providers with Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) training. EDs in teaching hospitals with a trauma center designation that served only children demonstrated higher adherence compared to nonteaching hospitals (64.3 vs 57.1), nontrauma centers (64.3 vs. 57.1), and mixed pediatric and adult departments (67.9 vs. 57.1), respectively. The overall effect sizes for total cardiac adherence score are ED type γ = 0.47 and pediatric volume (low and medium vs. medium‐high and high) γ = 0.41. A series of path analyses models was conducted that indicated that overall pediatric ED volume predicted significantly better guideline adherence, but the effect of volume on performance was only mediated by the PRS for the VF domain. Conclusions: This study demonstrated variable adherence to pediatric cardiac arrest guidelines across a spectrum of EDs. Overall adherence was not associated with ED pediatric volume. Medium‐high–volume EDs demonstrated the highest levels of adherence for BLS and PEA. Lower‐volume EDs were noted to have lower adherence to BLS guidelines. Improved adherence was not directly associated with higher PRS score provider experience, simulation teamwork performance, or more providers with PALS training. This study demonstrates that current approaches optimizing the care of children in cardiac arrest in the ED (provider training, teamwork training, environmental preparation) are insufficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The goal of this study was to assess the reliability of HEARTSMAP as a standardized tool for evaluating the quality of psychosocial assessment documentation of pediatric mental health (MH) presentations to the emergency department (ED). In addition, we report on current documentation practices. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross‐sectional study of pediatric (up to age 17) MH‐related visits to four EDs between April 1, 2013, and March 31, 2014. The primary outcome was the inter‐rater agreement when evaluating the completeness of pediatric emergency psychosocial assessments using the HEARTSMAP tool. The secondary outcome was to describe the adequacy of documentation of emergency pediatric MH assessments, using HEARTSMAP as a guide for a complete assessment. Results: A total of 400 medical records (100 from each site) were reviewed. We observed near‐perfect inter‐rater agreement (κ = 0.99–1.00) regarding the presence of documentation and good‐to‐perfect agreement (κ = 0.71–1.00) regarding whether sufficient information was documented to score a severity level for every component of an emergency psychosocial assessment. Inter‐rater agreement regarding whether referrals or resources were documented for identified needs was observed to be good to very good (κ = 0.62–0.98). Current psychosocial documentation practices were found to be inconsistent with significant variability in the presence of documentation pertaining to HEARTSMAP sections between medical centers and initial clinician assessor and whether specialized MH services were involved prior to discharge. Conclusions: The HEARTSMAP tool can be reliably used to assess pediatric psychosocial assessment documentation across a diverse range of EDs. Current documentation practices are variable and often inadequate, and the HEARTSMAP tool can aid in quality improvement initiatives to standardize and optimize care for the growing burden of pediatric mental illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective was to determine the national lumbar puncture (LP) practice patterns relative to the incidence of central nervous system (CNS) infections among children presenting to the emergency department (ED) with complex febrile seizures (CFS). Methods: This was a retrospective study of ED visits for CFS from 2007 to 2014 in patients aged 0 to 5 years using a national sample. Primary outcomes include the frequency of LP, incidence of CNS infections, and ED disposition. Results: Of 28,810 ED visits for CFS (44.4% female; mean age = 1.39 years), LP was performed in 7,445 (25.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 23.5%–28.2%). There was no significant difference in the proportion due to hospital teaching status or geographical region. The proportion decreased from 31.4% to 17.8% over the study period (Rao‐Scott statistic = 5.85, p < 0.001). CNS infection was diagnosed in 80 (0.3%) encounters (95% CI = 41–112). The most commonly associated infections were otitis media (16.8%), upper respiratory infections (15.8%), and other viral infections (14.6%). A total of 14,696 encounters (51.0%, 95% CI = 47.9%–54.1%) resulted in a hospital admission. Conclusions: Although rates have been declining, LP was performed in one‐fourth of ED encounters for CFS over the 8‐year study period. The incidence of CNS infections was very low, however, suggesting that this procedure could be avoided in many patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: As shared decision making (SDM) has received increased attention as a method to improve the patient‐centeredness of emergency department (ED) care, we sought to determine patients' desired level of involvement in medical decisions and their perceptions of potential barriers and facilitators to SDM in the ED. Methods: We surveyed a cross‐sectional sample of adult ED patients at three academic medical centers across the United States. The survey included 32 items regarding patient involvement in medical decisions including a modified Control Preference Scale and questions about barriers and facilitators to SDM in the ED. Items were developed and refined based on prior literature and qualitative interviews with ED patients. Research assistants administered the survey in person. Results: Of 797 patients approached, 661 (83%) agreed to participate. Participants were 52% female, 45% white, and 30% Hispanic. The majority of respondents (85%–92%, depending on decision type) expressed a desire for some degree of involvement in decision making in the ED, while 8% to 15% preferred to leave decision making to their physician alone. Ninety‐eight percent wanted to be involved with decisions when "something serious is going on." The majority of patients (94%) indicated that self‐efficacy was not a barrier to SDM in the ED. However, most patients (55%) reported a tendency to defer to the physician's decision making during an ED visit, with about half reporting they would wait for a physician to ask them to be involved. Conclusion: We found that the majority of ED patients in our large, diverse sample wanted to be involved in medical decisions, especially in the case of a "serious" medical problem, and felt that they had the ability to do so. Nevertheless, many patients were unlikely to actively seek involvement and defaulted to allowing the physician to make decisions during the ED visit. After fully explaining the consequences of a decision, clinicians should make an effort to explicitly ascertain patients' desired level of involvement in decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: The objectives were to examine whether responses to the Stopping Elderly Accidents, Death, and Injuries (STEADI) questions responses predicted adverse events after an older adult emergency department (ED) fall visits and to identify factors associated with such recurrent fall. Methods: We conducted a prospective study at two urban, teaching hospitals. We included patients aged ≥ 65 years who presented to the ED for an accidental fall. Data were gathered for fall‐relevant comorbidities, high‐risk medications for falls, and the responses to 12 questions from the STEADI guideline recommendation. Our outcomes were the number of 6‐month adverse events that were defined as mortality, ED revisit, subsequent hospitalization, recurrent falls, and a composite outcome. Results: There were 548 (86.3%) patients who completed follow‐up and 243 (44.3%) patients experienced an adverse event after a fall within 6 months. In multivariate analysis, seven questions from the STEADI guideline predicted various outcomes. The question “Had previous fall” predicted recurrent falls (odds ratio [OR] = 2.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.52 to 3.97), the question “Feels unsteady when walking sometimes” (OR = 2.34, 95% CI = 1.44 to 3.81), and “Lost some feeling in their feet” predicted recurrent falls. In addition to recurrent falls risk, the supplemental questions “Use or have been advised to use a cane or walker,” “Take medication that sometimes makes them feel light‐headed or more tired than usual,” “Take medication to help sleep or improve mood,” and “Have to rush to a toilet” predicted other outcomes. Conclusion: A STEADI score of ≥4 did not predict adverse outcomes although seven individual questions from the STEADI guidelines were associated with increased adverse outcomes within 6 months. These may be organized into three categories (previous falls, physical activity, and high‐risk medications) and may assist emergency physicians to evaluate and refer high‐risk fall patients for a comprehensive falls evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a psychiatric observation unit in reducing emergency department (ED) boarding and length of stay (LOS) for patients presenting with primary psychiatric chief complaints. A secondary outcome was to determine the effect of a psychiatric observation unit on inpatient psychiatric bed utilization. Methods: This study was a before‐and‐after analysis conducted in a 1,541‐bed tertiary care academic medical center including an adult ED with annual census over 90,000 between February 2013 and July 2014. All adult patients (age > 17 years) requiring evaluation by the acute psychiatry service in the crisis intervention unit (CIU) within the ED were included. Patients who left without being seen, left against medical advice, or were dispositioned to the pediatric hospital, hospice, or court/law enforcement were excluded. In December 2013, a 12‐bed locked psychiatric observation unit was opened that included dedicated behavioral health staff and was intended for psychiatric patients requiring up to 48 hours of care. The primary outcomes were ED LOS, CIU LOS, and total LOS. Secondary outcomes included the hold rate defined as the proportion of acute psychiatry patients requiring subsequent observation or inpatient admission and the inpatient psychiatric admission rate. For the primary analysis we constructed ARIMA regression models that account for secular changes in the primary outcomes. We conducted two sensitivity analyses, first replicating the primary analysis after excluding patients with concurrent acute intoxication and second by comparing the 3‐month period postintervention to the identical 3‐month period of the prior year to account for seasonality. Results: A total of 3,501 patients were included before intervention and 3,798 after intervention. The median ED LOS for the preintervention period was 155 minutes (interquartile range [IQR] = 19–346 minutes), lower than the median ED LOS for the postintervention period of 35 minutes (IQR = 9–209 minutes, p < 0.0001). Similar reductions were observed in CIU LOS (865 minutes vs. 379 minutes, p < 0.0001) and total LOS (1,112 minutes vs. 920 minutes, p = 0.003). The psychiatric hold rate was statistically higher after intervention (before = 42%, after = 50%, p < 0.0001), however, coupled with a statistically lower psychiatric admission rate (before = 42%, after = 25%, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Creation of an acute psychiatric observation improves ED and acute psychiatric service throughput while supporting the efficient allocation of scare inpatient psychiatric beds. This novel approach demonstrates the promise of extending successful observation care models from medical to psychiatric illness with the potential to improve the value of acute psychiatric care while minimizing the harms of ED crowding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective A 2010 survey identified disparities in salaries by gender and underrepresented minorities ( URM). With an increase in the emergency medicine ( EM) workforce since, we aimed to 1) describe the current status of academic EM workforce by gender, race, and rank and 2) evaluate if disparities still exist in salary or rank by gender. Methods Information on demographics, rank, clinical commitment, and base and total annual salary for full-time faculty members in U.S. academic emergency departments were collected in 2015 via the Academy of Administrators in Academic Emergency Medicine ( AAAEM) Salary Survey. Multiple linear regression was used to compare salary by gender while controlling for confounders. Results Response rate was 47% (47/101), yielding data on 1,371 full-time faculty: 33% women, 78% white, 4% black, 5% Asian, 3% Asian Indian, 4% other, and 7% unknown race. Comparing white race to nonwhite, 62% versus 69% were instructor/assistant, 23% versus 20% were associate, and 15% versus 10% were full professors. Comparing women to men, 74% versus 59% were instructor/assistant, 19% versus 24% were associate, and 7% versus 17% were full professors. Of 113 chair/vice-chair positions, only 15% were women, and 18% were nonwhite. Women were more often fellowship trained (37% vs. 31%), less often core faculty (59% vs. 64%), with fewer administrative roles (47% vs. 57%; all p < 0.05) but worked similar clinical hours (mean ± SD = 1,069 ± 371 hours vs. 1,051 ± 393 hours). Mean overall salary was $278,631 ( SD ± $68,003). The mean (± SD) salary of women was $19,418 (±$3,736) less than men (p < 0.001), even after adjusting for race, region, rank, years of experience, clinical hours, core faculty status, administrative roles, board certification, and fellowship training. Conclusions In 2015, disparities in salary and rank persist among full-time U.S. academic EM faculty. There were gender and URM disparities in rank and leadership positions. Women earned less than men regardless of rank, clinical hours, or training. Future efforts should focus on evaluating salary data by race and developing systemwide practices to eliminate disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The objective was to determine the impact of a soiled airway on firstpass success when using the GlideScope video laryngoscope or the direct laryngoscope for intubation in the emergency department ( ED). Methods Data were prospectively collected on all patients intubated in an academic ED from July 1, 2007, to June 30, 2016. Patients ≥ 18 years of age, who underwent rapid sequence intubation by an emergency medicine resident with the GlideScope or the direct laryngoscope, were included in the analysis. Data were stratified by device used (GlideScope or direct laryngoscope). The primary outcome was firstpass success. Patients were categorized as those without blood or vomitus ( CLEAN) and those with blood or vomitus ( SOILED) in their airway. Multivariate regression models were developed to control for confounders. Results When using the GlideScope, the firstpass success was lower in the SOILED group (249/306; 81.4%) than the in CLEAN group (586/644, 91.0%; difference = 9.6%; 95% confidence interval [ CI] = 4.7%-14.5%). Similarly, when using the direct laryngoscope, the firstpass success was lower in the SOILED group (186/284, 65.5%) than in the CLEAN group (569/751, 75.8%; difference = 10.3%; 95% CI = 4.0%-16.6%). The SOILED airway was associated with a decreased firstpass success in both the GlideScope cohort (adjusted odds ratio [ aOR] = 0.4; 95% CI = 0.3-0.7) and the direct laryngoscope cohort ( aOR = 0.6; 95% CI = 0.5-0.8). Conclusion Soiling of the airway was associated with a reduced firstpass success during emergency intubation, and this reduction occurred to a similar degree whether using either the GlideScope or the direct laryngoscope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The objective of this study was to compare anxiolysis with intranasal dexmedetomidine, an alpha-2 agonist, versus intranasal midazolam for pediatric laceration repairs. Methods We performed a double-blind, randomized controlled trial of 40 patients 1-5 years with lacerations requiring suture repair in an academic pediatric emergency department ( ED). Patients were randomized to receive either intranasal dexmedetomidine or intranasal midazolam. Our primary outcome measure was the anxiety score at the time of patient positioning for the laceration repair. We chose this time point to isolate the anxiolysis from the medications prior to intervention. Patient encounters were videotaped and scored for anxiety at multiple time points using the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale. The scale is 23.3-100 with higher scores indicating higher anxiety. We also evaluated these scores as a secondary outcome by dichotomizing them into anxious versus not anxious with a previously validated score cutoff. Results Of the 40 patients enrolled, 20 in the dexmedetomidine group and 18 in the midazolam group completed the study and were included in the analysis. The median age was 3.3 years (range = 1.0-5.4 years). The median baseline anxiety score was 48.3. The anxiety score at position for procedure for patients receiving dexmedetomidine was 9.2 points lower than those receiving midazolam (median difference = 9.2, 95% confidence interval = 5 to 13.3; median score for dexmedetomidine = 23.3, median score for midazolam = 36.3). The proportion of patients who were classified as not anxious at the position for procedure was significantly higher in the dexmedetomidine group (70%) versus the midazolam group (11%). The number needed to treat with dexmedetomidine instead of midazolam to obtain the result of a not anxious patient at this time point was 1.7 patients. There were also significantly more patients who were classified as not anxious at the time of wound washout in the dexmedetomidine group compared to the midazolam group (35% vs. 6%). Dexmedetomidine and midazolam performed similarly with respect to all other measures including anxiety at other time points, parental perceived anxiety, parent and proceduralist satisfaction, procedural success, complications, and time in the ED. There were no serious adverse events seen in either group. Conclusions Intranasal dexmedetomidine is an alternative anxiolytic medication to intranasal midazolam for pediatric laceration repairs, performing similarly in our study, except that patients who received dexmedetomidine had less anxiety at the time of positioning for procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Telemedicine networks are beginning to provide an avenue for conducting emergency medicine research, but using telemedicine to recruit participants for clinical trials has not been validated. The goal of this consent study was to determine whether patient comprehension of telemedicine-enabled research informed consent is noninferior to standard face-to-face (F2F) research informed consent. Methods A prospective, open-label randomized controlled trial was performed in a 60,000-visit Midwestern academic emergency department ( ED) to test whether telemedicine-enabled research informed consent provided noninferior comprehension compared with standard consent. This study was conducted as part of a parent clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of 0.12% oral chlorhexidine gluconate in preventing hospital-acquired pneumonia among adult ED patients with expected hospital admission. Prior to being recruited into the study, potential participants were randomized in a 1:1 allocation ratio to consent by telemedicine versus standard F2F consent. Telemedicine connectivity was provided using a commercially available interface ( REACH platform, Vidyo Inc.) to an emergency physician located in another part of the ED. Comprehension of research consent (primary outcome) was measured using the modified quality of informed consent (Qu IC) instrument, a validated tool for measuring research informed consent comprehension. Parent trial accrual rate and qualitative survey data were secondary outcomes. Results A total of 131 patients were randomized ( n = 64, telemedicine), and 101 Qu IC surveys were completed. Comprehension of research informed consent using telemedicine was not inferior to F2F consent (Qu IC scores 74.4 ± 8.1 vs. 74.4 ± 6.9 on a 100-point scale, p = 0.999). Subjective understanding of consent (p = 0.194) and parent trial study accrual rates (56% vs. 69%, p = 0.142) were similar. Conclusion Telemedicine is noninferior to F2F consent for delivering research informed consent, with no detected differences in comprehension and patient-reported understanding. This consent study will inform design of future telemedicine-enabled clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective We aimed to evaluate the association between patient chief complaint and the time interval between patient rooming and resident physician self-assignment ('pickup time'). We hypothesized that significant variation in pickup time would exist based on chief complaint, thereby uncovering resident preferences in patient presentations. Methods A retrospective medical record review was performed on consecutive patients at a single, academic, university-based emergency department with over 50,000 visits per year. All patients who presented from August 1, 2012, to July 31, 2013, and were initially seen by a resident were included in the analysis. Patients were excluded if not seen primarily by a resident or if registered with a chief complaint associated with trauma team activation. Data were abstracted from the electronic health record ( EHR). The outcome measured was 'pickup time,' defined as the time interval between room assignment and resident self-assignment. We examined all complaints with >100 visits, with the remaining complaints included in the model in an 'other' category. A proportional hazards model was created to control for the following prespecified demographic and clinical factors: age, race, sex, arrival mode, admission vital signs, Emergency Severity Index code, waiting room time before rooming, and waiting room census at time of rooming. Results Of the 30,382 patients eligible for the study, the median time to pickup was 6 minutes (interquartile range = 2-15 minutes). After controlling for the above factors, we found systematic and significant variation in the pickup time by chief complaint, with the longest times for patients with complaints of abdominal problems, numbness/tingling, and vaginal bleeding and shortest times for patients with ankle injury, allergic reaction, and wrist injury. Conclusions A consistent variation in resident pickup time exists for common chief complaints. We suspect that this reflects residents preferentially choosing patients with simpler workups and less perceived diagnostic ambiguity. This work introduces pickup time as a metric that may be useful in the future to uncover and address potential physician bias. Further work is necessary to establish whether practice patterns in this study are carried beyond residency and persist among attendings in the community and how these patterns are shaped by the information presented via the EHR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The objective was to determine the effect of apneic oxygenation ( AP OX) on first pass success without hypoxemia ( FPS-H) in adult patients undergoing rapid sequence intubation ( RSI) in the emergency department ( ED). Methods Continuous quality improvement data were prospectively collected on all patients intubated in an academic ED from July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2015. During this period the use of AP OX was introduced and encouraged for all patients undergoing RSI in the ED. Following each intubation, the operator completed a standardized data form that included information on patient, operator, and intubation characteristics. Adult patients 18 years of age or greater who underwent RSI in the ED by emergency medicine residents were included in the analysis. The primary outcome was FPS-H, which was defined as successful tracheal intubation on a single laryngoscope insertion without oxygen saturation falling below 90%. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the effect of AP OX on FPS-H. Results During the 2-year study period, 635 patients met inclusion criteria. Of these, 380 (59.8%) had AP OX utilized and 255 (40.2%) had no AP OX utilized. In the AP OX cohort the FPS-H was 312/380 (82.1%) and in the no AP OX cohort the FPS-H was 176/255 (69.0%) (difference = 13.1%, 95% confidence interval [ CI] = 6.2% to 19.9%). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the use of AP OX was associated with an increased odds of FPS-H (adjusted odds ratio = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.5 to 3.3). Conclusions The use of AP OX during the RSI of adult patients in the ED was associated with a significant increase in FPS-H. These results suggest that the use of AP OX has the potential to increase the safety of RSI in the ED by reducing the number of intubation attempts and the incidence of hypoxemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The General Internal Medicine ( GIM) Care Transformation Initiative implemented at one of four teaching hospitals in the same city resulted in improved efficiency of in-hospital care. Whether it had beneficial effects upstream in the emergency department ( ED) is unclear. Methods Controlled before-after study of ED length of stay ( LOS) and crowding metrics for the intervention site ( n = 108,951 visits) compared to the three other teaching hospitals (controls, n = 300,930 visits). Our primary outcome was ED LOS for GIM patients but secondary outcomes included ED LOS for all adults and ED crowding metrics. Results The GIM Care Transformation was associated with an additional 2.8-hour reduction in median ED LOS (from 25.6 hours to 13.5 hours) over and above the 9.3-hour decline (from 30.6 hours to 21.3 hours) seen in the three control EDs for GIM patients who were hospitalized (p < 0.001). As less than one in 30 ED visits resulted in a GIM ward admission, the median ED LOS for all patients declined by 15 minutes (from 4.6 hours to 4.3 hours, p < 0.001) in the control hospitals and by 30 minutes (from 5.7 hours to 5.1 hours, p < 0.001) at the intervention hospital pre versus post (p = 0.04 for the 15-minute additional reduction, p < 0.001 for level change on interrupted time series). Other metrics of ED crowding improved by similar amounts at the intervention and control hospitals with no statistically significant differences. Conclusion Although the GIM Care Transformation Initiative was associated with substantial reductions in ED LOS for patients admitted to GIM wards at the intervention hospital, it resulted in only minor changes in overall ED LOS and no appreciable changes in ED crowding metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]