Introduction Test result follow-up can be especially challenging in the Emergency Department (ED) due to its multiplicity of moving parts. ED physicians are under increasing pressure when treating patients due to the challenges of high volumes of patients, pressure for quick discharges in the face of space constraints, and complexities surrounding patient handover. Test result follow-up is a process that is complex and has several steps, each with their own potential for error. …
HiQuiPs: Resource Issues in the Emergency Department
Emergency departments are busy and are getting busier1, 2. Emergency physicians are faced with issues of overcrowding, departmental closures, and insufficient staffing. These issues are exacerbated by both the Covid pandemic3 and pressures found in the post-Covid “return to normal”4. Physicians are still expected to provide safe medical care in the face of these challenges. But what does that look like when your emergency department lacks appropriate resources? And how can physicians minimize …
HiQuiPs: Optimizing your diagnostic reasoning – themes from CMPA medico-legal cases
A 49-year-old male presents to the emergency department with shortness of breath on exertion and left lower chest discomfort for the past 3 days. His past medical history is significant for hypertension and he has a family history of heart disease. At triage he is noted to have a pulse of 117 and normal blood pressure. His oxygenation is 94% on room air. His cardiac and respiratory exam are normal, and no other …