Reducing cycle times in pediatric emergency medicine.

Objective: Reducing cycle times in pediatric emergency medicine is an ongoing challenge to practitioners and institutions who strive to provide outstanding medical care in a caring and efficient manner amid the chaotic environment of a busy emergency department. For institutions that wish to undertake such a task, there is scant pediatric literature on these topics. The objectives of this study were to reduce emergency department cycle times and to set a benchmark in these areas for pediatric emergency medicine.

Clinical evidence in guardianship of older adults is inadequate: findings from a tri-state study.

Purpose: This preliminary study compared clinical evaluations for guardianship in three states with varying levels of statutory reform.

Design And Methods: Case files for 298 cases of adult guardianship were reviewed in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Colorado, three states with varying degrees of statutory reform. The quality and content of the written clinical evidence for guardianship and the hearing outcome were recorded.

Statutory reform is associated with improved court practice: results of a tri-state comparison.

Purpose: This study investigates the impact of statutory reform in adult guardianship on court practice.

Methods: Case files for 298 cases of adult guardianship were reviewed in three states with varying degrees of statutory reform: MA (no reform), PA (major amendments in 1992), and CO (full re-enactment of statute per UGPPA in 2000). Five court practices associated with progressive statutory reform were studied: (1) diversion to less restrictive alternatives; (2) minimal and appropriate use of emergency procedures; (3) presence of the alleged incapacitated person at the hearing; (4) use of functional evaluation; (5) use of limited orders.