Adding more beds won’t fix emergency department pressures. Neither will one-size-fits-all processes. But improving patient flow and addressing staff shortages might.
Paramedics and ambulances spill out of the Emergency ramp at Michael Garron Hospital in Toronto.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
Almost half of patients have poor understanding of their emergency department visit. Being aware of how the emergency department works can give patients the tools to have a smoother experience.
Michael Musker, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute
The COVID pandemic has increased the strain on an already troubled mental health system in South Australia. Now, the state’s outgoing mental health boss is calling for accountability and change.
We’re likely to see more ‘fever clinics’ opening as coronavirus transmission takes hold in the community. But what are they? And do you need a fever to attend one?
Running, jumping, tackling, not to mention handling the ball, means Aussie Rules players risk injuries to their hands and wrists serious enough to send them to the emergency department.
Walpiri Transient Camp, Katherine: Western medicine can’t be expected to work for disadvantaged Indigenous Australians unless housing and social disadvantage are also addressed.
Simon Quilty, Australian National University et Lisa Wood, The University of Western Australia
A safe home, a working fridge and access to transport are all needed before western medicine has a chance of working in the long term. But a new way of providing care can help.
What rights do you have when discussing medical treatments or test results with your doctor?
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Australians are waiting too long for elective surgery, dental care and treatment for mental health. It’s no wonder health is a vote-changer.
Nearly every Canadian family has a wait time story. This is because our system is not designed to provide optimal care for patients with multiple chronic diseases.
(Shutterstock)
To improve wait times for surgery, Canada needs to fix its health-care system. Developing a national seniors’ strategy would be a good place to start.
Grey’s Anatomy’s portrayal of trauma experiences is far more dramatic than in real life.
IMDb/Shondaland, The Mark Gordon Company, Touchstone Television (2005-2007), ABC Studios
A new study compared fictional patient experiences in Grey’s Anatomy with real trauma cases. It concluded patients who are fans of the show might have unrealistic expectations of medical care.
Even emergency department staff can have trouble telling if someone’s intoxicated as clinical clues can mislead.
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We all know what a drunk person looks like, right? Wrong. Even health care workers can be confused.
Doctors with special training in acupuncture and practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine worked together in emergency departments.
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Some emergency doctors are already using acupuncture to relieve patients’ pain. Now a new study shows when it works, when it doesn’t and how emergency departments of the future might use it.
After-hours home medical services are offered with bulk billing. But are they the best use of taxpayers’ money?
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After-hours home medical services cost the taxpayer dearly and don’t reduce emergency department visits, according to new research.
Open wide … the mouths of crocodiles like this contain bacteria that cause potentially lethal infections in people they bite.
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Whether it’s an emergency or a planned admission, going to hospital can be anxiety inducing – not knowing where you’re heading or who will be looking after you. Here’s a cheat sheet to guide you.
Trauma isn’t just about physical injuries.
Medical team via www.shutterstock.com.
The emotional injuries from trauma can be as disabling as the physical injuries. But in the US only a handful of trauma centers employ licensed psychologists to look after patients and and families.
SHARP Professor, leader of the Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, UNSW Sydney, and leader of the UNSW Node of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney