Emergency Department Crowding in Relation to In-hospital Adverse Medical Events: A Large Prospective Observational Cohort Study.

Background: Emergency department (ED) crowding has been linked with adverse medical events. However, this association was inadequately controlled for potential confounding variables.

Objectives: To investigate whether ED crowding is independently associated with risk of in-hospital death and morbidity, and longer total hospital stay.

Short-term unscheduled return visits of adult patients to the emergency department.

Background: Emergency department (ED) crowding is a major international concern that affects patients and providers.

Study Objective: We describe the characteristics of patients who had an unscheduled related return visit to the ED and investigate its relation to ED crowding.

Methods: Retrospective medical record review of all unscheduled related ED return visits by patients older than 16 years of age over a 1-year period.

Evaluating implementation of the emergency severity index in a Belgian hospital.

Introduction: Triage aims to categorize patients based on their clinical need and the available departmental resources. To accomplish this goal, one needs to ensure that the implemented triage system is reliable and that staff use it correctly. Therefore this study assessed the ability of Belgium nurses to apply the Emergency Severity Index (ESI), version 4, to hypothetical case scenarios after an educational intervention.

The number of patients simultaneously present at the emergency department as an indicator of unsafe waiting times: a receiver operated curve-based evaluation.

Background: Emergency department (ED) crowding and prolonged waiting times have been associated with adverse consequences towards quality and patient safety.

Objective: This study investigates whether the number of patients simultaneously present at the ED might be an indicator of unsafe waiting and at what threshold hospital-wide measures to improve patient outflow could be justified.

Methods: Data were retrospectively collected during a 1-year period; all ED patients aged ≥16 years, and triaged as ESI-1 or ESI-2 were eligible for inclusion.

Admission hyperglycaemia is associated with higher mortality in patients with hip fracture.

Objective: To determine the proportion of hip-fracture patients with admission hyperglycaemia, and, when present, whether it was associated with a worse outcome (i.e. increased length of hospital stay, admission to ICU, or mortality).

Validity and timeliness of syndromic influenza surveillance during the autumn/winter wave of A (H1N1) influenza 2009: results of emergency medical dispatch, ambulance and emergency department data from three European regions.

Background: Emergency medical service (EMS) data, particularly from the emergency department (ED), is a common source of information for syndromic surveillance. However, the entire EMS chain, consists of both out-of-hospital and in-hospital services. Differences in validity and timeliness across these data sources so far have not been studied.

Impact of temperature exposure on stability of drugs in a real-world out-of-hospital setting.

Study Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the content of 5 important emergency medical services (EMS) drugs after being stored at the recommended refrigerated temperature, room temperature, or in an emergency physician transport vehicle operating under real-world working conditions.

Methods: Adrenaline hydrochloride, cisatracurium besylate, lorazepam, methylergonovine maleate, and succinylcholine chloride were stored for 1 year under the 3 conditions. For each storage condition, samples of the drugs were taken after 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks and after 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 months.

Can the heartscan be used for diagnosis and monitoring of emergencies in general practice?

Introduction: Mostly, it is impossible to establish the type of arrhythmias, based on signs and symptoms only. An ECG device is not always within reach. We presumed the heartscan, a handheld wireless device, to be of value to a GP in emergency situations.

Emergency department visits due to alcohol intoxication: characteristics of patients and impact on the emergency room.

Aims: The aim of the study was to describe the epidemiology, management and cost of emergency department (ED) visits due to alcohol intoxication.

Methods: A retrospective review of medical records of all episodes of alcohol intoxication was made, excepting those where another diagnosis such as trauma or psychiatric illness was primary, in patients older than 16 years, who presented to the ED of a large university hospital in Belgium over a 12-month period from 1 January 2009.

Results: A total of 635 such patients accounted for 1.

Deliberate self-poisoning: characteristics of patients and impact on the emergency department of a large university hospital.

Study Objective: The epidemiology, management and cost of emergency department (ED) visits for deliberate self-poisoning (DSP) are described.

Methods: In a retrospective study, the medical records of all DSP patients older than 16 years, who presented to the ED from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009, were reviewed.

Results: 312 episodes of DSP were included, accounting for 0.

Incidence and outcome of first syncope in primary care: A retrospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Assessment of risk for serious cardiovascular outcome after syncope is difficult. OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence of first syncope in primary care. To investigate the relation between syncope and serious cardiovascular (CV) outcome and serious injury.

Pharmacist- versus physician-acquired medication history: a prospective study at the emergency department.

Background: Recent literature revealed that medication histories obtained by physicians and nurses are often incomplete. However, the number of patients included was often low. Study objective In this study, the authors compare medication histories obtained in the Emergency Department (ED) by pharmacists versus physicians and identify characteristics contributing to discrepancies.

Early evaluation of the risk of functional decline following hospitalization of older patients: development of a predictive tool.

Objective: To develop a predictive tool that could be used on admission to identify older hospitalized people at risk of functional decline 3 months after discharge.

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study that included 625 patients aged 70 years and older (mean age 80.0 +/- 5.

Exacerbation of atopic dermatitis in the emergency department.

A 38-year-old man was admitted to the Emergency Department suffering from an exacerbation of atopic dermatitis, fever and a burning sensation in the eyes. He was first treated with systemic corticosteroids. A subsequent dermatological and ophthalmological examination established the diagnosis of Kaposi-Juliusberg disease or eczema herpeticum with bilateral herpetic keratitis.