Investigation of an electronic emergency department information system as a data source for respiratory syndrome surveillance.

Emergency department syndromic surveillance may provide early warning of disease outbreaks due to bioterrorism or natural phenomena. The purpose of this investigation was to explore how an electronic emergency department information system could be used as a data source for respiratory syndrome surveillance. The process of data collection, entry, and transmission is described, and then a subset of data elements with potential epidemiological value is selected.

Security aspects of electronic data interchange between a state health department and a hospital emergency department.

Electronic emergency department reporting provides the potential for enhancing local and state surveillance capabilities for a wide variety of syndromes and reportable conditions. The task of protecting data confidentiality and integrity while developing electronic data interchange between a hospital emergency department and a state public health department proved more complex than expected. This case study reports on the significant challenges that had to be resolved to accomplish this goal; these included application restrictions and incompatibilities, technical malfunctions, changing standards, and insufficient dedicated resources.

The effect of computer-assisted prescription writing on emergency department prescription errors.

Objective: To determine whether computer-assisted prescription writing reduces the frequency of prescription errors in the emergency department (ED).

Methods: A pre-post retrospective analysis was used to compare errors between handwritten (HW) and computer-assisted (CA) ED prescriptions. Prescriptions were reviewed for pharmacist clarifications.

Telemark skiing injuries: a three-year study.

Telemark skiing is an increasingly popular wilderness activity. Little is known, however, about the injuries incurred during modern telemark skiing. To determine the incidence and types of these injuries we carried out a prospective analysis of injured telemarkers over three ski seasons from November 1994 through May 1997 at the Mount Hood Meadows ski area medical clinic in Oregon.

Mortality among seriously injured patients treated in remote rural trauma centers before and after implementation of a statewide trauma system.

Background: Injury mortality in rural regions remains high with little evidence that trauma system implementation has benefited rural populations.

Objective: To evaluate risk-adjusted mortality in remote regions of Oregon before and after implementation of a statewide trauma system.

Research Design: A retrospective cohort study assessing injury mortality through 30 days after hospital discharge.