Preparation is an essential element of emergency preparedness for healthcare practices and facilities. One important aspect of preparing for medical emergencies is procuring and maintaining appropriate equipment and supplies (including medications). Medical and dental professional organizations and emergency preparedness literature generally recommend that office practices maintain at least basic emergency equipment and supplies.
Read moreMedical emergencies — such as cardiac arrest, loss of consciousness, allergic reactions, and respiratory distress — can occur anywhere, including healthcare offices and facilities. Although some medical emergencies are inevitable, others can potentially be avoided through careful patient evaluation and assessment.
Read moreA number of risk management strategies can help healthcare practitioners manage difficult or noncompliant patients who are under their care. But what about new patients? Initial consultations with new patients present practitioners with a unique opportunity to identify potential signs of noncompliant or difficult behavior.
Read moreThe patient was a 76-year-old male with uncontrolled hypertension and a complex medical and surgical history, including cardiovascular disease with myocardial infarction, hypertension, elevated cholesterol levels, diabetes, gastroesophageal reflux disease, stent procedures, and colon resection.
Read moreTo a certain degree, healthcare providers have the right to choose which patients they want to treat, and a provider may choose to terminate a relationship with a patient who does not comply with treatment regimens or follow-up care recommendations.
Read moreA patient in her late sixties presented to an emergency department (ED) with complaints of right flank pain and shortness of breath. She reported an allergy to Versed®. The initial working diagnosis was kidney stones. Lab work, an abdominal ultrasound, and an abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan were ordered, and the patient was given Demerol®/Phenergan® (50 mg/12.5 mg IV).
Read moreA patient in his mid-twenties with a history of asthma presented to an emergency department (ED) after a drug overdose. He was intubated after multiple difficult attempts. After a 48-hour stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and consults with pulmonology and ENT, the patient was extubated and discharged.
Read moreThe patient, a women in her mid-forties, developed dizziness and vomiting during exercise. Upon presentation to an emergency department (ED), staff noted that the patient was unable to verbally communicate, but she could follow instructions. An examination revealed bilateral nystagmus, and a urine toxicology screen was positive for opiates.
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