Effect of an electronic medical record information system on emergency department performance.

Objective: To determine whether implementation of the Cerner FirstNet electronic medical record system was associated with any change in emergency department (ED) performance.

Design, Setting And Patients: A retrospective observational study conducted during a 6-03 period in 2009 after the introduction of FirstNet and a corresponding 6-03 control period in 2008 when the Emergency Department Information System (EDIS) was operational. Data from all patients presenting to the ED during each period were extracted from each system and analysed for changes in key performance indicators (KPIs).

Respiratory function in hoist rescue: comparing slings, stretcher, and rescue basket.

Introduction: Some types of equipment used in helicopter hoist rescue have the potential to cause respiratory embarrassment due to chest compression and/or body positioning. This study compared the respiratory effects of four commonly used devices.

Methods: A randomized crossover trial was undertaken in 27 healthy adults while suspended in single sling (SSling), double sling (DSling), supine in a rescue stretcher, and in a rescue basket (RB) of the type used by the U.

Clinical process redesign for unplanned arrivals in hospitals.

*Emergency department performance had been deteriorating in NSW Health facilities and at Flinders Medical Centre before a fundamentally new approach involving a redesign method, additional bed capacity and more rigorous hospital performance management was applied. *Redesign was undertaken in over 60 hospitals in New South Wales. *Numerous disconnections and misalignments in the process of care delivery have been uncovered during the diagnostic phase of this redesign.