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Objectives In the 2016 Peace Accord with the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC), Colombia promised to reincorporate 14,000 ex‐combatants into the healthcare system. However, FARC ex‐combatants have faced significant challenges in receiving healthcare, and little is known about physicians’ abilities to address this population's healthcare needs. Methods An electronic questionnaire sent to the Colombian Emergency Medicine professional society and teaching hospitals assessed physicians’ knowledge, attitudes, and experiences with the FARC ex‐combatant reincorporation process. Results Among 53 participants, most were male (60.4%), and ∼25% were affected by the FARC conflict (22.6%). Overall knowledge of FARC reincorporation was low, with nearly two‐thirds of participants (61.6%) scoring in the lowest category. Attitudes around ex‐combatants showed low bias. Few physicians received training about reincorporation (7.5%), but 83% indicated they would like such training. Twenty‐two participants (41.5%) had identified a patient as an ex‐combatant in the healthcare setting. Higher knowledge scores were significantly correlated with training about reincorporation (r = 0.354, n = 53, P = 0.015), and experience identifying patients as ex‐combatants (r = 0.356, n = 47, P = 0.014). Conclusion Findings suggested high interest in training and low knowledge of the reincorporation process. Most physicians had low bias, frequent experiences with ex‐combatants, and cared for these patients when they self‐identify. The emergency department (ED) serves as an entrance into healthcare for this population and a potential setting for interventions to improve care delivery, especially those related to mental healthcare. Future studies could evaluate effects of care delivery following training on ex‐combatant healthcare reintegration.

Background Following the 2016 Peace Agreement with the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC), Colombia promised to reincorporate more than 13,000 guerrilla fighters into its healthcare system. Despite a subsidized healthcare insurance program and the establishment of 24 Espacios Territoriales de Capacitación y Reincorporación (ETCRs—Territorial Spaces for Training and Reintegration) to facilitate this transition, data has shown that FARC ex-combatants access care at disproportionately lower rates, and face barriers to healthcare services. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with FARC health promoters and healthcare providers working in ETCRs to determine healthcare access barriers for FARC ex-combatants. Analysis was completed with a qualitative team-based coding method and barriers were categorized according to Julio Frenk’s Domains of Healthcare Access framework. Results Among 32 participants, 25 were healthcare providers and 7 self-identified as FARC health promoters. The sample was majority female (71.9%) and worked with the FARC for an average of 12 months in hospital, health center, medical brigade, and ETCR settings. Our sample had experiences with FARC across 16 ETCRs in 13 Departments of Colombia. Participants identified a total of 141 healthcare access barriers affecting FARC ex-combatants, which affected healthcare needs, desires, seeking, initiation and continuation. Significant barriers were related to a lack of resources in rural areas, limited knowledge of the Colombian health system, the health insurance program, perceived stigma, and transition process from the FARC health system. Conclusions FARC ex-combatants face significant healthcare access barriers, some of which are unique from other low-resource populations in Colombia. Potential solutions to these barriers included health insurance provider partnerships with health centers close to ETCRs, and training and contracting FARC health promoters to be primary healthcare providers in ETCRs. Future studies are needed to quantify the healthcare barriers affecting FARC ex-combatants, in order to implement targeted interventions to improve healthcare access.

Given the discrepancy between men and women’s equal rates of medical school matriculation and their rates of academic promotion and leadership role acquisition, the need to provide mentorship and education to women in academic medicine is becoming increasingly recognized. Numerous large-scale programs have been developed to provide support and resources for women’s enrichment and retention in academic medicine. Analyses of contributory factors to the aforementioned discrepancy commonly cite insufficient mentoring and role modeling as well as challenges with organizational navigation. Since residency training has been shown to be a critical juncture for making the decision to pursue an academic career, there is a need for innovative and tailored educational and mentorship programs targeting residents. Acknowledging residents’ competing demands, we designed a program to provide easily accessible mentorship and contact with role models for our trainees at the departmental and institutional levels. We believe that this is an important step towards encouraging women’s pursuit of academic careers. Our model may be useful to other emergency medicine residencies looking to provide such opportunities for their women residents.

Objective Neuromuscular paralysis without sedation is an avoidable medical error with negative psychologic and potentially physiologic consequences. We determine the frequency of long-acting paralysis without concurrent sedation among patients intubated in our emergency department (ED) or before arrival. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study from July 2007 to August 2009. We chose this time interval because in 2006, our institution developed a multidisciplinary plan designed to improve care of intubated patients. We identified all mechanically ventilated patients using billing codes. We reviewed all records to identify use of long-acting neuromuscular blocking agents. We captured data on patient characteristics and location of intubation, using a standardized data collection form. We report bivariate risk ratios to quantify associations with lack of concurrent sedation. A priori, we defined concurrent sedation as administration of any sedative during the 60 minutes preceding and the 15 minutes after administration of the long-acting paralytic. Results Over the 26-month period of study, 292 patients received a long-acting paralytic. Of the 212 available for analysis, 39 (18%) did not receive concurrent sedation. Every decade of age increased the risk of paralysis without concurrent sedation by 1.2 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-1.4). Paralysis for intubation (vs for transport or ventilation management) increased the odds of no sedation by 2.1 (95% CI, 1.2-3.7). No other covariates predicted nonsedation. Conclusion Absence of concurrent sedation was common among patients receiving long-acting neuromuscular paralysis before arrival or at our ED, despite implementation of a guideline to improve practice.

Author(s): Patino, Andres M.; Alcalde, Victor; Gutierrez, Camilo; Garcia Romero, Mauricio; Moreno Carrillo, Atilio; Vargas, Luis E.; Vallejo, Carlos E.; Zarama, Virginia; Mora Rodriguez, Jose L.; Bustos, Yury; Granada, Juliana; Aguiar, Leonar G.; Menendez, Salvador; Cohen, Jorge I.; Saavedra, Miguel A.; Rodriguez, Juan M.; Roldan, Tatiana; Arbelaez, Christian | Abstract: Introduction: Emergency medicine (EM) is in different stages of development around the world.Colombia has made significant strides in EM development in the last two decades and recognized it as amedical specialty in 2005. The country now has seven EM residency programs: three in the capital city ofBogota, two in Medellin, one in Manizales, and one in Cali. The seven residency programs are in differentstages of maturity, with the oldest founded 20 years ago and two founded in the last two years. Theobjective of this study was to characterize these seven residency programs.Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with faculty and residents from all the existingprograms in 2013-2016. Topics included program characteristics and curricula.Results: Colombian EM residencies are three-year programs, with the exception of one four-yearprogram. Programs accept 3-10 applicants yearly. Only one program has free tuition and the rest chargetuition. The number of EM faculty ranges from 2-15. EM rotation requirements range from 11-33% oftotal clinical time. One program does not have a pediatric rotation. The other programs require 1-2months of pediatrics or pediatric EM. Critical care requirements range from 4-7 months. Other commonrotations include anesthesia, general surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics, gynecology, orthopedics,ophthalmology, radiology, toxicology, psychiatry, neurology, cardiology, pulmonology, and trauma. Allprograms offer 4-6 hours of protected didactic time each week. Some programs require AdvancedCardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support and Advanced Trauma Life Support, with someprograms providing these trainings in-house or subsidizing the cost. Most programs require one researchproject for graduation. Resident evaluations consist of written tests and oral exams several times per year.Point-of-care ultrasound training is provided in four of the seven programs.Conclusion: As emergency medicine continues to develop in Colombia, more residency programsare expected to emerge. Faculty development and sustainability of academic pursuits will be criticallyimportant. In the long term, the specialty will need to move toward certifying board exams andprofessional development through a national EM organization to promote standardization acrossprograms.

Objective Patient satisfaction with HIV screening is crucial for sustainable implementation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) HIV testing recommendations. This investigation assesses patient satisfaction with rapid HIV testing in the emergency department (ED) of an urban tertiary academic medical center. Methods After receiving HIV test results, participants in the Universal Screening for HIV Infection in the Emergency Room (USHER) randomized controlled trial were offered a patient satisfaction survey. Questions concerned overall satisfaction with ED visit, time spent on primary medical problem, time spent on HIV testing, and test provider's ability to answer HIV-related questions. Responses were reported on a 4-point Likert scale, ranging from very dissatisfied to very satisfied (defined as optimal satisfaction). Results Of 4,860 USHER participants, 2,025 completed testing and were offered the survey: 1,616 (79.8%) completed the survey. Overall, 1,478 (91.5%) were very satisfied. Satisfaction was less than optimal for 34.5% (10 of 29) of participants with reactive results and for 7.5% (115 of 1,542) with nonreactive results. The independent factors associated with less than optimal satisfaction were reactive test result, aged 60 years or older, black race, Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, and testing by ED provider instead of HIV counselor. Conclusion Most participants were very satisfied with the ED-based rapid HIV testing program. Identification of independent factors that correlate with patient satisfaction will help guide best practices as EDs implement CDC recommendations. It is critical to better understand whether patients with reactive results were negatively affected by their results or truly had concerns about the testing process.

Colombia is an upper-middle-income country with a population of 45 million people and one of the best national healthcare and medical education systems in South America. However, its widely diverse and difficult terrains hinder healthcare delivery to rural areas, creating disparities in healthcare access and outcomes between the urban and rural settings. Currently, emergency medical care is overwhelmingly provided by general practitioners without residency training, who obtain specialty consultations based on the medical/surgical condition identified. A few emergency medicine (EM) residency programs have sprouted over the last two decades in renowned academic institutions in the largest cities, producing high-quality EM specialists. With the establishment of EM as a specialty in 2005 and increasing recognition of the specialty, there has been an increasing demand for EM specialists in cities, which is only slowly being met by the current residencies. The critical challenges for EM in Colombia are both, establishing itself as a well-recognized specialty - by increasing academic production and reaching a critical mass of and unity among EM specialists - and providing the highest quality and safest emergency care to the people of Colombia - by improving capacity both in emergency departments and in the regional and national emergency response systems. Historically, the establishment of EM as a strongly organized specialty in other countries has spanned decades (e.g., the United States), and Colombia has been making significant progress in a similar trajectory.

Background HIV infection remains a major US public health concern. While HIV-infected individuals now benefit from earlier diagnosis and improved treatment options, progress is tempered by large numbers of newly diagnosed patients who are lost to follow-up prior to disease confirmation and linkage to care. Methodology In the randomized, controlled USHER trial, we offered rapid HIV tests to patients presenting to a Boston, MA emergency department. Separate written informed consent was required for confirmatory testing. In a secondary analysis, we compared participants with reactive results who did and did not complete confirmatory testing to identify factors associated with refusal to complete the confirmation protocol. Principal Findings Thirteen of 62 (21.0%, 95% CI (11.7%, 33.2%)) participants with reactive rapid HIV tests refused confirmation; women, younger participants, African Americans, and those with fewer HIV risks, with lower income, and without primary care doctors were more likely to refuse. We projected that up to four true HIV cases were lost at the confirmation stage. Conclusions These findings underscore the need to better understand the factors associated with refusal to confirm reactive HIV testing and to identify interventions that will facilitate confirmatory testing and linkage to care among these populations. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00502944; NCT01258582.

Bilateral vocal cord paralysis is an extremely rare complication of short-term endotracheal intubation. Its etiology following intubation is likely due to recurrent laryngeal nerve injury on intubation. The anterior ramus of the recurrent laryngeal nerve is especially susceptible to pressure injury in intubated patients. Heliox is reported as a successful means of decreasing the work of breathing in upper airway obstruction via decreases in airway resistance. Two cases of bilateral vocal cord dysfunction following short-term intubation are reported. The first case of bilateral vocal cord paresis treated with Heliox is described.

All applicants to US residency programs are required to write a personal statement. Recent reports of plagiarism and homogeneity in these freeform essays suggest the need for better guidance in this process. The authors review the historical and current role of the personal statement and provide a practical framework for writing a unique and effective personal statement, which will help both applicants and residency directors to maximize their chances of a successful match.

ObjectiveTo estimate the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV, the prevalence of diagnosed HIV, and proportion of HIV that is undiagnosed in populations with similar demographics as the Universal Screening for HIV in the Emergency Room (USHER) Trial and the Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) Emergency Department (ED) in Boston, MA. We also sought to estimate these quantities within demographic and risk behavior subgroups.MethodWe used data from the USHER Trial, which was a randomized clinical trial of HIV screening conducted in the BWH ED. Since eligible participants were HIV-free at time of enrollment, we were able to calculate the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV. We used data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MA/DPH) to estimate the prevalence of diagnosed HIV since the MA/DPH records the number of persons within MA who are HIV-positive. We calculated the proportion of HIV that is undiagnosed using these estimates of the prevalence of undiagnosed and diagnosed HIV. Estimates were stratified by age, sex, race/ethnicity, history of testing, and risk behaviors.ResultsThe overall expected prevalence of diagnosed HIV in a population similar to those presenting to the BWH ED was 0.71% (95% CI: 0.63%, 0.78%). The prevalence of undiagnosed HIV was estimated at 0.22% (95% CI: 0.10%, 0.42%) and resultant overall prevalence was 0.93%. The proportion of HIV-infection that is undiagnosed in this ED-based setting was estimated to be 23.7% (95% CI: 11.6%, 34.9%) of total HIV-infections.ConclusionsDespite different methodology, our estimate of the proportion of HIV that is undiagnosed in an ED-setting was similar to previous estimates based on national surveillance data. Universal routine testing programs in EDs should use these data to help plan their yield of HIV detection.

BackgroundRoutine HIV screening in emergency department (ED) settings may require dedicated personnel. We evaluated the outcomes, costs and cost-effectiveness of HIV screening when offered by either a member of the ED staff or by an HIV counselor.MethodsWe employed a mathematical model to extend data obtained from a randomized clinical trial of provider- vs. counselor-based HIV screening in the ED. We compared the downstream survival, costs, and cost-effectiveness of three HIV screening modalities: 1) no screening program; 2) an ED provider-based program; and 3) an HIV counselor-based program. Trial arm-specific data were used for test offer and acceptance rates (provider offer 36%, acceptance 75%; counselor offer 80%, acceptance 71%). Undiagnosed HIV prevalence (0.4%) and linkage to care rates (80%) were assumed to be equal between the screening modalities. Personnel costs were derived from trial-based resource utilization data. We examined the generalizability of results by conducting sensitivity analyses on offer and acceptance rates, undetected HIV prevalence, and costs.ResultsEstimated HIV screening costs in the provider and counselor arms averaged $8.10 and $31.00 per result received. The Provider strategy (compared to no screening) had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $58,700/quality-adjusted life year (QALY) and the Counselor strategy (compared to the Provider strategy) had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $64,500/QALY. Results were sensitive to the relative offer and acceptance rates by strategy and the capacity of providers to target-screen, but were robust to changes in undiagnosed HIV prevalence and programmatic costs.ConclusionsThe cost-effectiveness of provider-based HIV screening in an emergency department setting compares favorably to other US screening programs. Despite its additional cost, counselor-based screening delivers just as much return on investment as provider based-screening. Investment in dedicated HIV screening personnel is justified in situations where ED staff resources may be insufficient to provide comprehensive, sustainable screening services.

"Antecedentes: la medicina de emergencia (EM) esta emergiendo como una especialidad en Colombia con cinco programas de residencia y una presencia creciente en todo el pais. Muchos programas de residencia y departamentos de emergencia estan comenzando a incorporar el ultrasonido de punto de atencion (POC) en su educacion y existe interes a nivel nacional en integrar el ultrasonido POC en un plan de estudios estandarizado de residencia de medicina de emergencia. El objetivo del estudio fue realizar una encuesta a nivel nacional de residentes colombianos de EM para obtener una mejor comprension del estado actual del uso de ultrasonido POC dentro de las residencias de EM y para examinar las barreras especificas que impiden su expansion. Estructura / Metodo / Diseno: Realizamos una encuesta de metodologia mixta de todos los residentes de EM actuales disponibles en las cinco residencias de EM en Colombia (tres en Bogota y dos en Medellin). Se utilizo una encuesta cuantitativa de evaluacion de necesidades, que evaluo la experiencia previa de ultrasonido, el uso actual de varias aplicaciones, el deseo de capacitacion adicional y las barreras percibidas para un uso ampliado. Ademas, se llevaron a cabo ocho discusiones de grupos focales (FGD) con residentes actuales de EM y varios miembros de la facultad para recopilar informacion cualitativa adicional sobre los patrones de practica actuales y las barreras percibidas. Resultados (Resumen cientifico) / Socios colaboradores (Resumen programatico): Ochenta clinicos completaron la encuesta, 69 de los cuales eran residentes de EM y estan incluidos en el analisis. La tasa de respuesta para nuestro estudio entre todos los residentes actuales de EM en Colombia en el momento de la administracion fue del 85%. Cincuenta y dos por ciento de los encuestados residentes habian usado previamente una maquina de ultrasonido durante su entrenamiento; sin embargo, de estos, el 58% indico que habian realizado 40 exploraciones. Las aplicaciones mas utilizadas indicadas por los encuestados fueron trauma, obstetricia, acceso vascular y ecocardiografia. Solo una cuarta parte indico que alguna vez habian recibido capacitacion formal en ecografia, pero todos indicaron interes en aprender mas. Las barreras significativas para la capacitacion en ultrasonido incluyeron la falta de maestros docentes capacitados (indicado por el 78% de los encuestados), la ausencia de maquinas de ultrasonido (57%) y el tiempo limitado (41%). En las DGF, las barreras adicionales identificadas fueron los conflictos entre especialidades sobre el control y la carga de la ecografia, tanto a nivel institucional como nacional, asi como las decisiones curriculares especificas del programa con respecto a la importancia de POC US dentro de la practica EM. Resumen / Conclusion: Si bien actualmente es limitado, los residentes de EM en Colombia tiene un gran interes en integrar la ecografia POC en su practica y entrenamiento Las muchas barreras actuales a su La expansion del uso refleja barreras tradicionales como la falta de equipo visto en muchos paises en desarrollo de bajos ingresos, asi como Conflictos entre especialidades tipicos de ingresos mas altos y medios paises desarrollados. Mas colaboracion esta en marcha para superar estas barreras e integran aun mas el ultrasonido POC como estandar de atencion en la formacion de residencia EM colombiana."

HIV screening studies in the emergency department (ED) have demonstrated rates of HIV test refusal ranging from 40–67%. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with refusal to undergo routine rapid HIV testing in an academic ED in Boston. HIV counselors offered routine testing to 1,959 patients; almost one-third of patients (29%) refused. Data from a self-administered survey were used to determine independent correlates of HIV testing refusal. In multivariate analysis, women and patients with annual household incomes of $50,000 or more were more likely to refuse testing, as were those who reported not engaging in HIV risk behaviors, those previously HIV tested and those who did not perceive a need for testing. Enrollment during morning hours was also associated with an increased risk of refusal. Increased educational efforts to convey the rationale and benefits of universal screening may improve testing uptake among these groups.

Although effective treatments for depression exist, including antidepressant medications (eg, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors) and specific psychosocial or psychotherapeutic approaches (eg, behavioral activation, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and interpersonal psychotherapy),1 depression remains substantially underdiagnosed and undertreated. An estimated 30%–50% of patients who suffer from depression go unrecognized and therefore cannot access effective treatment.2,3 Routine screening for depression among adults has been found to improve the identification of patients with depression.4 Clinical Points ♦ Although effective treatments for depression exist, including antidepressant medications (eg, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors) and specific psychosocial or psychotherapeutic approaches (eg, behavioral activation, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and interpersonal psychotherapy), depression remains substantially underdiagnosed and undertreated. ♦ Screening for clinical depression in the emergency department (ED) setting introduces important opportunities for acute care providers and for the health care system as a whole. ♦ Screening for depression in the ED setting may increase the recognition and diagnosis of depression, and, when integrated with a commitment to provide coordinated and prompt follow-up of diagnosis and treatment, clinical outcomes could potentially improve. While efforts have been made to increase awareness of depression in outpatient primary medical settings,3,5–7 less attention has been paid to screening for depression in emergency departments (EDs) in urban hospital settings. Research has documented both the need and desire for preventive health care measures to be initiated or provided as part of ED care, especially among patients without primary physicians.8–12 Emergency departments often serve as a primary or only source of health care for at-risk populations. Specifically, the uninsured, the homeless, the mentally ill, the economically disadvantaged, the elderly, the chronically ill, many ethnic/racial minorities, immigrants, and refugees13–20 are populations that may be at high risk for untreated, but treatable, psychiatric comorbidity. Consequently, for many individuals, the ED may be a rare opportunity to increase the availability of psychiatric services and address depression on a wider scale. Emergency room–initiated interventions for depression would require prevalence data in order to more optimally provide appropriate staffing for triage and/or treatment and to aid in sample size calculations for the testing of future randomized controlled intervention trials in this setting. Emergency department interventions would benefit from identification of risk factors associated with clinically significant depressive symptoms, allowing for better prioritization of ED resources. Although the presence of risk factors alone cannot distinguish depressed from nondepressed patients, identifying risk factors for depression may provide valuable information to optimize ED interventions to reach those adults at highest risk. Accordingly, we sought to determine the frequency and risk factors associated with clinically significant depressive symptoms among adult ED patients presenting for care and enrolled in an ED-based human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening study at an urban general hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

Early diagnosis of persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) through diagnostic testing and screening is a critical priority for individual and public health. Emergency departments (EDs) have an important role in this effort. As EDs gain experience in HIV testing, it is increasingly apparent that implementing testing is conceptually and operationally complex. A wide variety of HIV testing practice and research models have emerged, each reflecting adaptations to site-specific factors and the needs of local populations. The diversity and complexity inherent in nascent ED HIV testing practice and research are associated with the risk that findings will not be described according to a common lexicon. This article presents a comprehensive set of terms and definitions that can be used to describe ED-based HIV testing programs, developed by consensus opinion from the inaugural meeting of the National ED HIV Testing Consortium. These definitions are designed to facilitate discussion, increase comparability of future reports, and potentially accelerate wider implementation of ED HIV testing.

Background: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published recommendations for routine, voluntary human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing of adults in all health care settings, including the emergency department (ED). Study Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the willingness of ED providers to offer HIV testing, as well as their perceived barriers to implementation of these guidelines. Methods: Before the establishment of a routine HIV testing program in the ED, a 21-item survey was used to assess ED providers' knowledge, attitudes, and perceived challenges to HIV testing. Six months after program initiation, the identical survey was re-administered to determine whether HIV testing program experience altered providers' perceptions. Results: There were 108 of 146 (74%) providers who completed both the pre- and post-implementation surveys. Although the majority of emergency providers at 6 months were supportive of an ED-based HIV testing program (59/108 [55%]), only 38% (41/108) were willing to offer the HIV test most or all of the time. At 6 months, the most frequently cited barriers to offering a test were: inadequate time (67/108 [62%]), inadequate resources (65/108 [60%]), and concerns regarding provision of follow-up care (64/108 [59%]). Conclusions: After the implementation of a large-scale HIV testing program in an ED, the majority of emergency providers were supportive of routine HIV testing. Nevertheless, 6 months after program initiation, providers were still reluctant to offer the test due to persistent barriers. Further studies are needed to identify feasible implementation strategies that minimize barriers to routine HIV testing in the ED.

Expanded HIV screening efforts in the United States have increased the use of rapid HIV tests in emergency departments. The reported sensitivity and specificity of rapid HIV tests exceed 99%.To assess whether a reactive rapid oral HIV test result correctly identifies adults with HIV infection in the emergency department.Diagnostic test performance assessment within the framework of a randomized, clinical trial.Brigham and Women's Hospital emergency department (Boston, Massachusetts) from 7 February to 1 October 2007.849 adults with valid rapid oral HIV test results.Rapid HIV testing with the OraQuick ADVANCE Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test (OraSure Technologies, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania). Patients with reactive rapid test results were offered enzyme-linked immunoassay, Western blot, and plasma HIV-1 RNA testing for confirmation.Specificity and positive likelihood ratio.39 patients had reactive results (4.6% [95% CI, 3.2% to 6.0%]). On confirmation, 5 patients were HIV-infected (prevalence, 0.6% [CI, 0.1% to 1.1%]) and 26 were non-HIV-infected (8 patients declined confirmation). The estimated rapid test specificity was 96.9% (CI, 95.7% to 98.1%). Sensitivity analyses of the true HIV status of unconfirmed cases and test sensitivity resulted in a positive likelihood ratio of 8 to 32. Western blot alone as a confirmation test provided conclusive HIV status in only 50.0% (CI, 30.8% to 69.2%) of patients at first follow-up. The addition of HIV-1 RNA testing to the confirmation protocol improved this rate to 96.2% (CI, 88.8% to 100.0%).Test sensitivity cannot be assessed because nonreactive OraQuick test results were not confirmed.Although patients with a reactive oral OraQuick HIV screening test in the emergency department had an 8- to 32-fold increased odds of HIV infection compared with the pretest odds, the specificity of the test was lower than anticipated.

Intravenous Rho (D) immune globulin (IV RhIG, WinRho SDF) has been shown to be a safe treatment for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Common side effects of IV RhIG include mild hemolysis, febrile reaction, and headache. Significant hemolysis with renal impairment following IV RhIG has been reported. We report a case of irreversible encephalopathy 48 hr following an infusion of IV RhIG for treatment of ITP.

Background Oral rapid HIV testing has been reported to have a lower sensitivity and specificity than rapid HIV testing with whole-blood and has been associated with clusters of false positive results. Patient preference for oral rapid HIV testing compared to more invasive whole-blood fingerstick may influence the acceptance of rapid HIV testing.

We compare rates of rapid HIV testing, test offer, and acceptance in an urban emergency department (ED) when conducted by dedicated HIV counselors versus current members of the ED staff.The Universal Screening for HIV Infection in the Emergency Room [USHER] trial is a prospective randomized controlled trial that implemented an HIV screening program in the ED of an urban tertiary medical center. ED patients were screened and consented for trial enrollment by an USHER research assistant. Eligible subjects were randomized to rapid HIV testing (oral OraQuick) offered by a dedicated counselor (counselor arm) or by an ED provider (provider arm). In the counselor arm, counselors-without other clinical responsibilities-assumed nearly all testing-related activities (consent, counseling, delivery of test results). In the provider arm, trained ED emergency service assistants (nursing assistants) consented and tested the participant in the context of other ED-related responsibilities. In this arm, ED house officers, physician assistants, or attending physicians provided HIV test results to trial participants. Outcome measures were rates of HIV testing and test offer among individuals consenting for study participation. Among individuals offered the test, test acceptance was also measured.From February 2007 through July 2008, 8,187 eligible patients were approached in the ED, and 4,855 (59%) consented and were randomized to trial participation. The mean age was 37 years, 65% were women, and 42% were white. The overall testing rate favored the counselor arm (57% versus 27%; P.001); 80% (1,959/2,446) of subjects in the counselor arm were offered an HIV test compared with 36% (861/2,409) in the provider arm (P.001). HIV test acceptance was slightly higher in the provider arm (counselor arm 71% versus provider arm 75%; P = .025).Routine rapid HIV testing in the ED was accomplished more frequently by dedicated HIV counselors than by ED staff in the course of routine clinical work. Without dedicated staff, HIV testing in this setting may not be truly routine.

Kristin E White1, Paul M Szumita1, Nicki Gilboy2, Hillary A Keenan3, Christian Arbelaez21Department of Pharmacy Services, 2Department of Emergency Medicine, 3Center for Clinical Investigation, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USAPurpose: When emergency department (ED) overcrowding includes admitted mechanically ventilated (MV) critically-ill patients without an open intensive care unit (ICU) bed, emergency providers must deliver ICU level care in the ED. Implementing standardized hospital based clinical guidelines may help providers achieve uniform care standards for assessing and managing pain and sedation for the MV patient.Objective: This paper is a description of a hospital performance improvement project that was implemented in the ED. The objective of this study was to measure the degree of adoption of a hospital-wide clinical guideline for the management of pain, sedation and neuromuscular blockade in MV patients into clinical practice in the ED.Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for all mechanically ventilated patients who were admitted from ED to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Patient charts were reviewed before (December 2005) and after the implementation of the guideline (June, August, and December 2006). Data was collected and analyzed for the ED visit only and no ICU data was used. The primary outcome was the degree of adoption of the guideline by emergency providers into their daily clinical practice.Results: A convenience sample of 170 adult MV patients who were admitted to the ICU during the preselected time period was analyzed. There were no demographic differences between groups of patients observed during each month interval, age (P = 0.34), gender (P = 0.40), race (P = 0.14), and Hispanic ethnicity (P = 0.84). Overall, there was an increase in the provider use of propofol (P < 0.01), RASS sedation scale (P < 0.01), and a decrease in the use of a paralytic agent (P < 0.01).Conclusion: There was partial adoption of a guideline into their clinical practice by emergency providers in a busy urban emergency department. Across the 12-month implementation period, there was improvement in the assessment of and use of analgesia and sedation for MV patients.Keywords: clinical guideline, critical care, ICU, emergency department, sedation, pain, neuromuscular blocker

Background In the context of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) on HIV testing in the emergency department (ED) setting, we evaluated preferences for survey modality and data quality arising from each modality. Methods Enrolled participants were offered the choice of answering a survey via audio computer assisted self-interview (ACASI) or pen and paper self-administered questionnaire (SAQ). We evaluated factors influencing choice of survey modality. We defined unusable data for a particular survey domain as answering fewer than 75% of the questions in the domain. We then compared ACASI and SAQ with respect to unusable data for domains that address sensitive topics. Results Of 758 enrolled ED patients, 218 (29%) chose ACASI, 343 chose SAQ (45%) and 197 (26%) opted not to complete either. Results of the log-binomial regression indicated that older (RR = 1.08 per decade) and less educated participants (RR = 1.25) were more likely to choose SAQ over ACASI. ACASI yielded substantially less unusable data than SAQ. Conclusions In the ED setting there may be a tradeoff between increased participation with SAQ versus better data quality with ACASI. Future studies of novel approaches to maximize the use of ACASI in the ED setting are needed.

Background The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and the World Health Organization (WHO) both recommend HIV testing in health-care settings. However, neither organization provides prescriptive details regarding how these recommendations should be adapted into clinical practice in an emergency department. Methods We have implemented an HIV-testing program in the ED of a major academic medical center within the scope of the Universal Screening for HIV Infection in the Emergency Room (USHER) Trial—a randomized clinical trial evaluating the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of HIV screening in this setting. Results and conclusion Drawing on our collective experiences in establishing programs domestically and internationally, we offer a practical framework of lessons learned so that others poised to embark on such HIV testing programs may benefit from our experiences.

Background Emergency medicine (EM) is a growing specialty in Colombia with five residency programs in the country. EM leadership is interested in incorporating point-of-care (POC) ultrasound into a standardized national EM residency curriculum. This study is a nationwide survey of Colombian EM residents designed to explore the current state of POC ultrasound use within EM residencies and examine specific barriers preventing its expansion. Methods We conducted a mix-methodology study of all available current EM residents in the five EM residencies in Colombia. The quantitative survey assessed previous ultrasound experience, current use of various applications, desire for further training, and perceived barriers to expanded use. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with current EM residents to gather additional qualitative insight into their practice patterns and perceived barriers to clinician-performed ultrasound. Results Sixty-nine EM residents completed the quantitative survey, a response rate of 85% of all current EM residents in Colombia; 52% of resident respondents had previously used ultrasound during their training. Of these, 58% indicated that they had performed 40 scans. The most frequently used applications indicated by respondents were trauma, obstetrics, and procedures including vascular access. A quarter indicated they had previously received some ultrasound training, but almost all expressed an interest in learning more. Significant barriers included lack of trained teachers (indicated by 78% of respondents), absence of machines (57%), and limited time (41%). In FGDs, the barriers identified were inter-specialty conflicts over the control of ultrasonography, both institutionally and nationally, and program-specific curriculum decisions to include POC ultrasound. Conclusion While currently limited in their access, EM residents in Colombia have a strong interest in integrating POC ultrasound into their training. Current barriers to expanded use include traditional barriers such as a lack of equipment seen in many developing countries, as well as inter-specialty conflicts typical of developed countries. Further collaboration is underway to help overcome these obstacles and integrate POC ultrasound into Colombian EM residency training.