Blog & Articles

The uncommon but lethal infection known as necrotizing fasciitis continues to be in the news. This is a devastating disease that can be difficult to diagnose in the early stages. The first presentation is often nothing more than arm or leg pain that looks very much like garden-variety musculoskeletal discomfort. By the time the diagnosis is made, the disease process is often too far along to reverse it, resulting in severe disability or death. However, there are usually a few clinical clues that a more dangerous process is under way.

The temperatures are rising, and school sports are starting long practices in all kinds of weather. During intense exercise, people can lose up to 1.5 liters of fluid per hour. Summer is prime time for pediatric patients to sustain heat-related illnesses, and these patients may present to the emergency department in some distress.

[4 MIN READ]

Most predicaments in which James Bond finds himself require clever improvisation to achieve a good outcome. Bond knows that every mission entails huge risks that are largely unpredictable. In contrast, the risks of surgery are recognized in advance, and the procedures go according to plan in the vast majority of cases. Despite proactive safety measures, claims against surgeons continue to occur regularly for bad outcomes. It has been estimated that approximately 80 surgical never events occurred each week between 1990 and 2010.

Patient experience has emerged as one of the most important aspects of medical training in today’s healthcare environment. Patients are not only demanding satisfaction in their experience, they are researching hospital and provider satisfaction ratings to make sure others have had a positive experience prior to seeking medical care themselves.

The majority of animal and insect bites and stings are harmless and can be managed at home. However, there are many that can cause a medical concern, some more acute than others. Read these 10 secrets to brush up on your approach to the patient who presents with a bite or sting this summer.

[3 MIN READ]

“It’s all about communication!”

The world of medicine has changed by leaps and bounds over recent decades. Computers are part of our daily lives, and technological advances have significantly improved our ability to diagnose and treat diseases that were once thought incurable.

Despite this incredible progress, healthcare providers continue to commit far too many medical errors. And unfortunately, many of these mistakes are simply caused by “poor communication.”

Violence in Healthcare Part 1: Risk Factors & Warning Signs

Once you have an understanding of the risk factors and warning signs that may lead to workplace violence in a healthcare setting, it’s imperative to implement a plan to prevent and intervene in these situations to provide a safe environment.

Only the common cold prompts more people to see a practitioner than acute low back pain. Most people will suffer with low back pain at least once in their lives, and it is estimated that 2% to 3% of all ED visits are for acute non-traumatic back pain. With costs exceeding $90 billion per year, the far-reaching implications are clear. Acute low back pain affects men and women of all ages; it is a common cause of disability in those less than 45 years of age due to work-related injury. Patients experience pain and lost wages; employers are impacted by loss of productivity in the workplace; and there is a major financial burden to society in general.

Pinched, pushed, punched, or even stabbed, shot or killed. Nearly every healthcare worker has been a victim or knows a coworker who has been a victim of workplace violence.

Workplace violence represents a serious health and safety concern for all employees, but healthcare workers in particular face significant risk. Health and social service industries account for 48% of all non-fatal injuries from occupational assaults and violent acts.

Many practitioners view the process of informed consent in healthcare to be a nuisance and a hindrance. It is often simply one more hoop to jump through so that the patient can get the care he or she needs. This is not true. If the provider was negligent in providing the service and a bad outcome occurred, the patient has a cause of action for medical malpractice.