Assessing EMS scope of practice for utility and risk: the New Mexico EMS Interventions Assessment Project, Phase One results.

Introduction: Few emergency medical services (EMS) interventions in New Mexico have been assessed for efficacy, potential harm, or potential benefit. There is concern that many interventions added over the years may be outdated, harmful, or ineffective in the EMS setting. A formal process for reviewing the state EMS scope of practice using literature review and expert consensus is discussed.

A framework to guide thinking and analysis regarding climate change policies.

The potential impacts from climate change, and climate change policies, are massive. Careful thinking about what we want climate change policies to achieve is a crucial first step for analysts to help governments make wise policy choices to address these concerns. This article presents an adaptive framework to help guide comparative analysis of climate change policies.

Can recovering alcoholics help hospitalized patients with alcohol problems?

Objective: The researchers evaluated the relative effectiveness of 2 interventions for patients with alcohol problems.

Study Design: A nonrandomized intervention study was used to compare usual care (control) with a 5- to 15-minute physician-delivered message (brief intervention) and with the physician message plus a 30- to 60-minute visit by a recovering alcoholic (peer intervention). Telephone follow-up was obtained up to 12 months after hospital discharge that focused on patient behaviors during the first 6 months following discharge.