Providing care to psychiatric patients in the emergency department is a challenge for many reasons. However, the greatest risk and safety issue related to behavioral health is the appropriate evaluation and protection of the suicidal patient in the ED. We present 2 case studies to illuminate the uncommon but preventable catastrophe of suicide in the ED.
Opioid Safety Programs: Facilitating the Discussion
It is critical for healthcare organizations to have a risk mitigation strategy in place to address the opioid epidemic. Tom Syzek, MD, FACEP, a board-certified emergency medicine physician, former Chief Risk Officer for Premier Physicians and current VP of e-Learning at The Sullivan Group, created this questionnaire outlining key considerations to help facilitate opioid safety discussions.
Recent studies demonstrate that about 10% of all ED patients present with psychiatric illness. Another 45% of adults and 40% of pediatric patients who present to the ED with non-psychiatric complaints have undiagnosed mental illness.
Join Dr. Leslie Zun as he uses case examples to explain the risks associated with psychiatric patients in the emergency department. After this video, you will be able to:
Do's & Don'ts of AMA: Patients Leaving Against Medical Advice
Available data shows that about 1.2% of ED patients leave against medical advice (AMA). No matter the reason they leave, AMA patients are high risk. Practitioners are wise to take a calm and reasoned approach to the AMA patient. Failure to do so can spell medical tragedy for the patient and malpractice disaster for the practitioner. As a guide to the AMA process, consider the following list of Do's and Don'ts.
