Addressing System and Clinician Barriers to Emergency Department-initiated Buprenorphine: An Evaluation of Post-intervention Physician Outcomes.

Introduction: Emergency departments (ED) are in the unique position to initiate buprenorphine, an evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). However, barriers at the system and clinician level limit its use. We describe a series of interventions that address these barriers to ED-initiated buprenorphine in one urban ED.

Should COVID-19 symptoms be used to cohort patients in the emergency department? A retrospective analysis.

Objective: To determine how cohorting patients based on presenting complaints affects risk of nosocomial infection in crowded Emergency Departments (EDs) under conditions of high and low prevalence of COVID-19.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of presenting complaints and PCR tests collected during the COVID-19 epidemic from 4 EDs from a large hospital system in Bronx County, NY, from May 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value (PPV, NPV) were calculated for a symptom screen based on the CDC list of COVID-19 symptoms: fever/chills, shortness of breath/dyspnea, cough, muscle or body ache, fatigue, headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, nasal congestion/runny nose, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Randomized Study of Metoclopramide Plus Diphenhydramine for Acute Posttraumatic Headache.

Objective: To determine whether IV metoclopramide 20 mg + diphenhydramine 25 mg (M + D) was more efficacious than IV placebo for acute moderate or severe posttraumatic headache in the emergency room.

Methods: We conducted this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study in 2 urban emergency departments (EDs). Participants who experienced head trauma and presented to our EDs within 10 days with a headache fulfilling criteria for acute posttraumatic headache were included.

A randomized controlled trial of oxycodone/acetaminophen versus acetaminophen alone for emergency department patients with musculoskeletal pain refractory to ibuprofen.

Background: Use of oral opioids does not result in more pain relief than nonopioid alternatives when administered to patients as first-line treatment for acute musculoskeletal pain. This study compared the efficacy of oxycodone/acetaminophen to that of acetaminophen alone as second-line treatment for patients with acute musculoskeletal pain who were administered prescription-strength ibuprofen and reported insufficient relief 1 h later.

Methods: A randomized, double-blind study was conducted in two urban emergency departments.

A Randomized Trial Comparing the Efficacy of Five Oral Analgesics for Treatment of Acute Musculoskeletal Extremity Pain in the Emergency Department.

Study Objective: We compare the efficacy and adverse effects of 5 oral analgesics in emergency department (ED) patients aged 21 to 64 years with acute musculoskeletal pain.

Methods: This was a randomized clinical trial conducted in 2 urban EDs. Patients received 400 mg ibuprofen/1,000 mg acetaminophen, 800 mg ibuprofen/1,000 mg acetaminophen, 30 mg codeine/300 mg acetaminophen, 5 mg hydrocodone/300 mg acetaminophen, or 5 mg oxycodone/325 mg acetaminophen.