ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To determine the publication rate of abstracts presented by UK emergency physicians at major emergency medicine meetings, and to identify the site of publication of papers. METHOD: All abstracts presented to the annual scientific meetings of both the British Association of Emergency Medicine and the Faculty of Accident and Emergency Medicine between 2001 and 2002 were identified retrospectively from conference programmes. To identify whether the work relating to the abstract had been published in a peer-reviewed journal, the Medline database (Ovid interface) was searched using the first and last authors as well as key words from the abstract. RESULTS: Of the 404 abstracts identified, 124 (30%) had been published as full articles. For abstracts presented in the oral sessions, 83 (57%) resulted in publication. A range of journals accepted papers for publication. CONCLUSION: The abstract-to-publication ratio for UK emergency medicine is lower than for other specialties, but broadly similar to emergency medicine in the US and Australia.
Subject(s)
Congresses as Topic/statistics & numerical data , Emergency Medicine/statistics & numerical data , Publishing/statistics & numerical data , Abstracting and Indexing/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Periodicals as Topic/statistics & numerical data , Research/statistics & numerical data , Retrospective Studies , United KingdomABSTRACT
In the Angus region of Scotland, we have used mobile telemetry to facilitate pre-hospital thrombolysis by paramedic staff. An initial survey demonstrated that connection could be achieved in all but three locations. In the first year of operation, 229 contacts were received. Communication between the ambulance and the base station failed on four occasions (2%). Problems with transmission of an electrocardiogram (ECG) were encountered on 37 occasions (16%). The median time for acquisition and transmission of an ECG was 22 min. This compares with a median time of 59 min for first ECG in a control group from similar locations, who were assessed in hospital. Telemetry offers essential back-up to paramedics adopting a challenging and extended role. Strategies can be developed to deal with signal strength and equipment failure.
Subject(s)
Telemedicine/methods , Telemetry/methods , Thrombolytic Therapy/methods , Cohort Studies , Electrocardiography, Ambulatory/methods , Emergency Medical Services/methods , Humans , ScotlandABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate a system of prehospital thrombolysis, delivered by paramedics, in meeting the national service framework's targets for the management of acute myocardial infarction. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study comparing patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction considered for thrombolysis in the prehospital environment with patients treated in hospital. SETTING: The catchment area of a large teaching hospital, including urban and rural areas. PARTICIPANTS: 201 patients presenting concurrently over a 12 month period who had changes to the electrocardiogram that were diagnostic of acute myocardial infarction or who received thrombolysis for suspected acute myocardial infarction. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Time from first medical contact to initiation of thrombolysis (call to needle time), number of patients given thrombolysis appropriately, and all cause mortality in hospital. RESULTS: The median call to needle time for patients treated before arriving in hospital (n=28) was 52 (95% confidence interval 41 to 62) minutes. Patients from similar rural areas who were treated in hospital (n=43) had a median time of 125 (104 to 140) minutes. This represents a median time saved of 73 minutes (P < 0.001). Sixty minutes after medical contact 64% of patients (18/28) treated before arrival in hospital had received thrombolysis; this compares with 4% of patients (2/43) in a cohort from similar areas. Median call to needle time for patients from urban areas (n=107) was 80 (78 to 93) minutes. Myocardial infarction was confirmed in 89% of patients (25/28) who had received prehospital thrombolysis; this compares with 92% (138/150) in the two groups of patients receiving thrombolysis in hospital. CONCLUSIONS: Thrombolysis delivered by paramedics with support from the base hospital can meet the national targets for early thrombolysis. The system has been shown to work well and can be introduced without delay.