Vascular surgery-related violations of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act.

OBJECTIVE: The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) is a federal law established in 1986 to ensure that patients who present to an emergency department receive medical care regardless of means. Violations are reported to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and can result in significant financial penalties. Our objective was to assess all available EMTALA violations for vascular-related issues. METHODS: EMTALA violations in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services publicly available hospital violations database from 2011 to 2018 were evaluated for vascular-related issues. Details recorded were case type, hospital type, hospital region, reasons for violation, disposition, and mortality. RESULTS: There were 7001 patients identified with any EMTALA violation and 98 (1.4%) were deemed vascular related. The majority (82.7%) of EMTALA violations occurred at urban/suburban hospitals. Based on the Association of American Medical Colleges United States region, vascular-related EMTALA violations occurred in the Northeast (7.1%), Southern (56.1%), Central (18.4%), and Western (18.4%) United States. Case types included cerebrovascular (28.6%), aortic related (22.4%; which consisted of ruptured aortic aneurysms [8.2%], aortic dissection [11.2%], and other aortic [3.1%]), vascular trauma (15.3%), venous-thromboembolic (15.3%), peripheral arterial disease (9.2%), dialysis access (5.1%), bowel ischemia (3.1%), and other (1%) cases. Patients were transferred to another facility in 41.8% of cases. The most common reasons for violation were specialty refusal or unavailability (30.6%), inappropriate documentation (29.6%), misdiagnosis (18.4%), poor communication (17.3%), inappropriate triage (13.3%), failure to obtain diagnostic laboratory tests or imaging (12.2%), and ancillary or nursing staff issues (7.1%). The overall mortality was 19.4% and 31.6% died during the index emergency department visit. Vascular conditions associated with death were venous thromboembolism (31.6%), ruptured aortic aneurysm (21.1%), aortic dissection (21.1%), other aortic causes (10.5%), vascular trauma (10.5%), and bowel ischemia (5.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Although the frequency of vascular-related EMTALA violations was low, improvements in communication, awareness of vascular disease among staff, specialty staffing, and the development of referral networks and processes are needed to ensure that patients receive adequate care and that institutions are not placed at undue risk.

Characterisation of Victims Of Violence in the A & E Department and Analysis of the Acceptance of a Medico-Legal Expertise Centre After its Implementation vs. Multi-Year Consolidation. / Charakterisierung unfallchirurgischer Gewaltopfer und Erfassung der Inanspruchnahme nach Implementierung und mehrjähriger Etablierung einer rechtsmedizinischen Gewaltopferambulanz.

BACKGROUND: People who have become victims of domestic or public violence often suffer long-term physical, psychological and social impairment. Due to physical injury, the first contact with the health care system is frequently an A & E Department. Thus, physicians and especially surgeons play a key role in detecting victims of domestic or public violence. The specific needs of victims are adequate medical treatment of injuries, forensic documentation, as well as interdisciplinary medical support to prevent further morbidity and violence. To take this into account, so-called expertise centres for victims of violence have been established at several locations in Germany in recent years. In this study: I. We tried to define the characteristics of victims of domestic and public violence to ensure better identification by physicians/surgeons. II. We elucidate the acceptance and effectiveness of such an expertise centre one year after its implementation and for a period of three years (2007 - 2009) and for a follow-up period of three years (2014 - 2016) after establishment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients were prospectively classified as victims of violence by the attending physician at the A & E Department and further treatment was initiated by the expertise centre for victims of violence. Medical reports from the A & E Department were analysed anonymously and compared with the number of patients of the expertise centre for victims of violence who had been referred from A & E Department. RESULTS: Orthopaedic and trauma surgery is the main referring discipline for the expertise centre for victims of violence. 0.9% of patients (2007 - 2009) and in the follow-up period (2014 - 2016) even 1.6% of patients were identified as victims of violence. However, the acceptance of such a centre fell from 22.2% (2007 - 2009) to 17.2% (2014 - 2016). CONCLUSION: Physicians and especially trauma surgeons are responsible for identifying victims of domestic or public violence and ensuring further treatment. Accordingly, it is crucial that the expertise centre should characterise the victims of violence and be aware of their different needs, if the expertise centre is to be accepted. The results of this study indicate that interdisciplinary training and close cooperation between traumatology and legal medicine are the main prerequisites for continuous improvement in the treatment of victims of violence.

Opioid Prescribing Laws and Emergency Department Guidelines for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain in Washington State.

Rising mortality rates, increased opioid prescription abuse, and a perceived need to provide practitioners with structured guidance in opioid prescribing have prompted the Washington State Legislature to establish new legal standards of practice regarding chronic non-cancer pain management. Clinicians are required to conduct a detailed physical examination and health history prior to treatment. Risk assessments for abuse and detailed periodic reviews of treatment are required at least every 6 months. Those considered "high risk" or who have significant psychiatric comorbidities will be required to sign and follow a written agreement or pain contract, obtain their pain prescriptions from a single provider, and submit to biological drug screening. Unless an exemption exists, patients prescribed > 120 mg of morphine-equivalents daily, considered severe pain nonresponders, necessitating dosage escalation, diagnosed with multifaceted mental health-related comorbidities, demonstrating diagnostic ambiguity, and/or requiring significant treatment individualization are referred to a pain specialist. Episodic care settings should refrain from supplying opioids to chronic pain patients whenever possible. The ER is for Emergencies coalition instituted the Seven Best Practices program throughout the state to reduce unnecessary visits, coordinate prescribing practice, reduce Medicaid expenditures, and improve overall patient care. The state reported approximately $33.65 million in savings in 2013 through the use of these practices and converting Medicaid participants from fee-for-service to managed care plans. Similar legislation to complement clinical practice guidelines is expected to be enacted in other states. It is vital that practitioners comprehend the new guidelines and make appropriate adjustments in their opioid prescribing habits.

The 'four-hour target' and the impact on Australian metropolitan acute surgical services.

BACKGROUND: The National Emergency Access Targets (NEAT), introduced in 2012, guides the clearance of emergency department (ED) presentations within 4 h of initial presentation. We aim to assess the impact of NEAT on acute surgical services at a large metropolitan centre. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed and data were collected from electronic patient management systems. The control group was represented by ED presentations between June and September 2011, 1 year prior to the introduction of NEAT. The two study groups consisted of ED presentations between June and September 2012 and 2013 respectively. Outcome measures included time to appendicectomy and cholecystectomy, inpatient length of stay (IPLOS) (for operative and non-operative cases), out-of-hours operating and hospital mortality rates. RESULTS: In total, 2619 inpatient episodes were included, with a trend showing increasing admissions throughout the study periods (P < 0.001). Time to surgical review and ED length of stay decreased significantly (P < 0.001). Time from emergency presentation to emergency appendicectomy and cholecystectomy remained unchanged and procedures performed out-of-hours increased significantly from 20.9% to 42.9% (P < 0.001). Median IPLOS for operative and non-operative patients was reduced during the study from 2.05 to 1.84 days (P < 0.001). Inter-unit transfers within 48 h of presentation increased significantly from 5.3% to 14.7% (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The early results following the implementation of NEAT have been correlated with increased efficiency in ED clearance and increased burden on surgical operative and inpatient outcomes. While improvements in IPLOS were observed, they must be considered in the context of increased lower-acuity admissions and out-of-hours operating.

Impact of a countywide smoke-free workplace law on emergency department visits for respiratory diseases: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: With the goal of reducing exposure to secondhand smoke, the state of Minnesota (MN), enacted a smoke-free law (i.e., Freedom to Breathe Act) in all workplaces, restaurants, and bars in 2007. This retrospective cohort study analyzes emergency department (ED) visits in Olmsted County, MN, for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma over a five-year period to assess changes after enactment of the smoke-free law. METHODS: We calculated the rates of ED visits in Olmsted County, MN, with a primary diagnosis of COPD and asthma in the five-year period from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2009. Analyses were performed using segmented Poisson regression to assess whether ED visit rates declined following enactment of the smoke free law after adjusting for potential underlying temporal trends in ED visit rates during this time period. RESULTS: Using segmented Poisson regression analyses, a significant reduction was detected in asthma-related ED visits (RR 0.814, p < 0.001) but not for COPD-related ED visits following the enactment of the smoke-free law. The reduction in asthma related ED visits was observed in both adults (RR 0.840, p = 0.015) and children (RR 0.751, p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: In Olmsted County, MN, asthma-related ED visits declined significantly after enactment of a smoke-free law. These results add to the body of literature supporting community health benefits of smoke-free policies in public environments and their potential to reduce health care costs.

Analysis of closed malpractice medical claims against Taiwanese EDs: 2003 to 2012.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study is to examine the epidemiologic data of closed malpractice medical claims against emergency departments (EDs) in Taiwanese civil courts and to identify high-risk diseases. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study and reviewed the verdicts from the national database of the Taiwan judicial system that pertained to EDs. Between 2003 and 2012, a total of 63 closed medical claims were included. RESULTS: Seven cases (11.1%) resulted in an indemnity payment, 55.6% of the cases were closed in the district court, but appeals were made to the supreme court in 12 cases (19.1%). The mean incident-to-litigation closure time was 57.7 ± 26.8 months. Of the cases with indemnity paid, 5 cases (71.4%) were deceased, and 2 cases (28.6%) were gravely injured. All cases with indemnity paid were determined to be negligent by a medical appraisal. The gravely injured patients had more indemnity paid than deceased patients ($299800 ± 37000 vs $68700 ± 29300). The most common medical conditions involved were infectious diseases (27.0%), central nervous system bleeding (15.9%), and trauma cases (12.7%). It was also found that 71.4% of the allegations forming the basis of the lawsuit were diagnosis related. CONCLUSIONS: Emergency physicians (EPs) in Taiwan have similar medico-legal risk as American EPs, with an annual risk of being sued of 0.63%. Almost 90% of EPs win their cases but spend 58 months in litigation, and the mean indemnity payment was $134738. Cases with indemnity paid were mostly categorized as having diagnosis errors, with the leading cause of error as failure to order an appropriate diagnostic test.

Incidence and predictors of neck and widespread pain after motor vehicle collision among US litigants and nonlitigants.

Debate continues regarding the influence of litigation on pain outcomes after motor vehicle collision (MVC). In this study we enrolled European Americans presenting to the emergency department (ED) in the hours after MVC (n=948). Six weeks later, participants were interviewed regarding pain symptoms and asked about their participation in MVC-related litigation. The incidence and predictors of neck pain and widespread pain 6weeks after MVC were compared among those engaged in litigation (litigants) and those not engaged in litigation (nonlitigants). Among the 859 of 948 (91%) participants completing 6-week follow-up, 711 of 849 (83%) were nonlitigants. Compared to nonlitigants, litigants were less educated and had more severe neck pain and overall pain, and a greater extent of pain at the time of ED evaluation. Among individuals not engaged in litigation, persistent pain 6weeks after MVC was common: 199 of 711 (28%) had moderate or severe neck pain, 92 of 711 (13%) had widespread pain, and 29 of 711 (4%) had fibromyalgia-like symptoms. Incidence of all 3 outcomes was significantly higher among litigants. Initial pain severity in the ED predicted pain outcomes among both litigants and nonlitigants. Markers of socioeconomic disadvantage predicted worse pain outcomes in litigants but not nonlitigants, and individual pain and psychological symptoms were less predictive of pain outcomes among those engaged in litigation. These data demonstrate that persistent pain after MVC is common among those not engaged in litigation, and provide evidence for bidirectional influences between pain outcomes and litigation after MVC.

Clinical case of the month. A 50-year-old man with a persistent rash.

In September 2006, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published updated recommendations for routine opt-out human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing in all healthcare settings. As late diagnosis of infection increases individual and societal risks, a goal of the 2010 National HIV/AIDS Strategy is to increase the percentage of those aware of their infection. In 2008, two years following changes in the CDC testing recommendations, 44.6% of individuals 18-64 years of age reported a history of having a HIV test, resulting in close to 40,000 new HIV diagnoses. Emergency departments accommodate more than 120 million patient visits per year in the United States and can be the only point of contact individuals have with the healthcare system, particularly in uninsured and marginalized groups. Further implementation of opt-out testing can result in earlier diagnosis and improved health outcomes at the both the individual and public health levels.

Hospital administrators' views on barriers and opportunities to delivering palliative care in the emergency department.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: We identify hospital-level factors from the administrative perspective that affect the availability and delivery of palliative care services in the emergency department (ED). METHODS: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 key informants, including hospital executives, ED directors, and palliative care directors at a tertiary care center, a public hospital, and a community hospital. The discussions were digitally recorded and transcribed to conduct a thematic analysis using grounded theory. A coding scheme was iteratively developed to subsequently identify themes and subthemes that emerged from the interviews. RESULTS: Barriers to integrating palliative care and emergency medicine from the administrative perspective include the ED culture of aggressive care, limited knowledge, palliative care staffing, and medicolegal concerns. Incentives to the delivery of palliative care in the ED from these key informants' perspective include improved patient and family satisfaction, opportunities to provide meaningful care to patients, decreased costs of care for admitted patients, and avoidance of unnecessary admissions to more intensive hospital settings, such as the ICU, for patients who have little likelihood of benefit. CONCLUSION: Though hospital administration at 3 urban hospitals on the East coast has great interest in integrating palliative care and emergency medicine to improve quality of care, patient and family satisfaction, and decrease length of stay for admitted patients, palliative care staffing, medicolegal concerns, and logistic issues need to be addressed.