January 2019 Briefing – Emergency Medicine
Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Emergency Medicine for January 2019. This roundup includes the...
Direct-to-Doctor Payments May Increase Opioid Prescribing
Prescribers receiving opioid-specific payments prescribed 8,784 more opioid daily doses per year
Medical Scribes Up Productivity for Emergency Medicine Doctors
Primary consultations/hour increased, median length of stay reduced with use of scribes
More Severe Injuries Sustained at Jump Parks Versus Home Trampolines
Proportion of fractures/dislocations, lower-extremity fractures, fractures in adults higher at jump parks
Hand Hygiene Compliance Low Among EMS Providers
Use of hand rub or hand wash seen in 3 percent before, 29 percent after patient encounters
Infective Endocarditis Related to Injection Drug Use Rising
Rise in admissions for infective endocarditis tied to injection drugs paralleled rise in hydromorphone rx
Older Adults With Comorbidities Identified as Frequent ED Users
~5 percent of older adults account for ~20 percent of emergency department visits
NOACs Recommended as First-Line Prevention of Stroke in A-Fib
Updated guidelines also emphasize weight loss for overweight, obese patients with atrial fibrillation
Comorbid Neck Injury Up for Women With Concussion
For all concussion-related ED visits, odds of comorbid neck injury up for females ages 5 to 49
Increase Seen in Multiple-Victim School-Related Homicide Rate
Firearm-related injuries accounted for 62.8 and 95.0 percent of single-victim, multiple-victim homicides
