The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act as a Federal Health Care Safety Net Program

Despite the greatest economic expansion in history during the 1990s, the number of uninsured U.S. residents surpassed 44 million in 1998. Although this number declined for the first time in recent years in 1999, to 42.6 million, the current economic slow-down threatens once again to increase the ranks of the uninsured. Many uninsured patients use hospital emergency departments as a vital portal of entry into an access-impoverished health care system. In 1986, Congress mandated access to emergency care when it passed the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). The EMTALA statute has prevented the unethical denial of emergency care based on inability to pay; however, the financial implications of EMTALA have not yet been adequately appreciated or addressed by Congress or the American public. Cuts in payments from public and private payers, as well as increasing demands from a larger uninsured population, have placed unprecedented financial strains on safety net providers. This paper reviews the financial implications of EMTALA, illustrating how the statute has evolved into a federal health care safety net program. Future actions are proposed, including the pressing need for greater public safety net funding and additional actions to preserve health care access for vulnerable populations.     

Emergency Department Utilization and Patient Outcomes During the COVID-19 Pandemic in America

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic precipitated fear of contagion and influenced many people to avoid the emergency department (ED). It is unknown if this avoidance effected overall health or disease mortality.ObjectiveWe aimed to quantify the decreased ED volume in the United States, determine whether it occurred simultaneously across the country, find which types of patients decreased, and measure resultant changes in patient outcomes.MethodsWe retrospectively accessed a multihospital, multistate electronic health records database managed by HCA Healthcare to obtain a case series of all patients presenting to an ED during the early COVID-19 pandemic (March 1–May 31, 2020) and the same dates in 2019 for comparison. We determined ED volume using weekly totals and grouped them by state. We also recorded final diagnoses codes and mortality data to describe patient types and outcomes.ResultsThe weekly ED volume from 160 facilities dropped 44% from 141,408 patients (week 1, March 1–7, 2020) to a nadir of 79,618 patients (week 7, April 12–18, 2020), before rising back to 105,667 (week 13, May 24–30, 2020). Compared with 2019, this overall decline was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The decline was universal across disease categories except for infectious disease and respiratory illnesses, which increased. All-cause mortality increased during the pandemic, especially for those with infectious disease, circulatory, and respiratory illnesses.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic and an apparent fear of contagion caused a decrease in ED presentations across our hospital system. The decline in ED volume was associated with increased ED mortality, perhaps from delayed ED presentations.     

eHealth,telehealth, and telemedicine in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: Lessons learned and future perspectives

In this article, we discuss evidence supporting the effective implementation of eHealth, telehealth, and telemedicine during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, with a view towards its permanent future integration in healthcare. We performed a literature search for articles describing the use of telehealth/ telemedicine in the pandemic context using five databases. The articles selected describe the use of telemedicine as its advantages in terms of practicality and cost-effectiveness. This synthesis of articles is applicable to high-, middle- and low-income countries. Some of the notable benefits include breaking down geographical and time barriers, reducing waiting lists and crowding in healthcare facilities, and saving on national healthcare expenditure. However, there are a number of difficulties with the widespread implementation of telemedicine services that mainly relate to bureaucratic and regulatory concerns. Moreover, it is also important to make healthcare professionals and providers aware of the limits of this tool to avoid potential cases of negligence. Patients in turn will have to be made aware of and be educated on the use of this new healthcare modality before it is accepted by them. In the current socio-economic climate, it is therefore essential to implement a telehealth model aimed at efficiency and continuity of healthcare, as well as leading to an improvement in the quality of life of patients, whilst optimising existing resources and reducing costs. In that regard, the adoption of eHealth, telehealth, and telemedicine services should be considered highly timely, despite current existing limitations.     

Emergency Department Use by Young Adults With Chronic Illness Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

IntroductionThere was a significant decrease in emergency department encounters during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our large urban emergency department observed decreased encounters and admissions by youths with chronic health conditions. This study aimed to compare the frequency of emergency department encounters for certain young adults before the pandemic and during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA retrospective cohort study using medical records of patients ages 20 to 26 years from October 2018 to September 2019 and February 2020 to February 2021. Files set for inclusion were those with a primary diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus, diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, sickle cell disease, asthma, and certain psychiatric disorders for potentially preventable health events.ResultsWe included 1203 total encounters (853 before the pandemic and 350 during the pandemic), with the total number of subjects included in the study 568 (293 before the pandemic to 239 during the pandemic). During the pandemic, young adults with mental health conditions (53.1%) accounted for most encounters. Encounters requiring hospital admissions increased from 27.4% to 52.5% during the pandemic, primarily among patients with diabetes (41.8% vs 61.1%) and mental health conditions (50% vs 73.3%).DiscussionThe number of young adults with certain chronic health conditions decreased during COVID-19, with encounters for subjects with mental health conditions increasing significantly. The proportion of admissions increased during the pandemic with increases for subjects with mental health disorders and diabetes. The number of frequent users decreased during COVID-19. Future research is needed to understand better the causes for these disparities in young adults with chronic conditions who use the emergency department as a source of care.     

The Feasibility of a Pediatric Distance Learning Curriculum for Emergency Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Improving Pediatric Acute Care Through Simulation Collaboration

IntroductionTo develop and evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a longitudinal pediatric distance learning curriculum for general emergency nurses, facilitated by nurse educators, with central support through the Improving Acute Care Through Simulation collaborative.MethodsKern’s 6-step curriculum development framework was used with pediatric status epilepticus aimed at maintaining physical distancing, resulting in a 12-week curriculum bookended by 1-hour telesimulations, with weekly 30-minute online asynchronous distance learning. Recruited nurse educators recruited a minimum of 2 local nurses. Nurse educators facilitated the intervention, completed implementation surveys, and engaged with other educators with the Improving Pediatric Acute Care through Simulation project coordinator. Feasibility data included nurse educator project engagement and curriculum engagement by nurses with each activity. Efficacy data were collected through satisfaction surveys, pre-post knowledge surveys, and pre-post telesimulation performance checklists.ResultsThirteen of 17 pediatric nurse educators recruited staff to complete both telesimulations, and 38 of 110 enrolled nurses completed pre-post knowledge surveys. Knowledge scores improved from a median of 70 of 100 (interquartile range: 66-78) to 88 (interquartile range: 79-94) (P = .018), and telesimulation performance improved from a median of 60 of 100 (interquartile range: 45-60) to 100 (interquartile range: 85-100) (P = .016). Feedback included a shortened intervention and including physician participants.DiscussionA longitudinal pediatric distance learning curriculum for emergency nurses collaboratively developed and implemented by nurse educators and Improving Pediatric Acute Care through Simulation was feasible for nurse educators to implement, led to modest engagement in all activities by nurses, and resulted in improvement in nurses’ knowledge and skills. Future directions include shortening intervention time and broadening interprofessional scope.     

Role of Primary Care in Suicide Prevention During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Primary care providers have an important role in suicide prevention, knowing that among people who die by suicide, 83% have visited a primary care provider in the prior year, and 50% have visited that provider within 30 days of their death, rather than a psychiatrist. The psychosocial impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic poses increased risk for suicide and other mental health disorders for months and years ahead. This article focuses on screening tools, identification of the potentially suicidal patient in the primary care setting, and a specific focus on suicide prevention during widespread, devastating events, such as a pandemic.     

Obesity Management in Primary Care During and Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic

With 6.1 million United States cases as of early September 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is presenting unprecedented challenges to primary care. As a complex multifactorial chronic disease, obesity is a significant risk for severe COVID-19 complications associated with high morbidity and mortality. Sustainable lifestyle changes and weight loss can be effective to address obesity and its complications. With COVID-19 expected to persist for the foreseeable future, treatment and prevention of obesity is more imperative than ever. This report summarizes how obesity management and lifestyle counseling can be incorporated and applied in primary care during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.     

Dysfunctional Coping Mediates the Relationship between Stress and Mental Health in Health-Care Staff Working amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

ObjectiveThis cross-sectional study aimed to assess the stress outcomes in health-care staff working during the COVID-19 pandemic and to explore the role of coping in the relationship between stress outcomes and mental health dimensions with Preacher & Hayes''s mediation analysis.Subjects and MethodsOne hundred seventy participants including physicians (n = 41; 24.1%), nurses (n = 114, 67.1%), and paramedics (n = 15, 8.8%) with a mean age of 37.69 ± 12.23 years and an average seniority of 14.40 ± 12.32 years were administered the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20, Cohen''s Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Emotional Processing Scale, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. The data were analyzed by estimation of simple correlation coefficients and a Preacher and Hayes''s mediation procedure.ResultsParticipants reported elevated levels of stress (7–8 sten on the sten scale developed for the PSS-10 questionnaire). Statistically significant differences in the stress levels between nurses, paramedics, and physicians could not be determined. In contrast, significant association between mental health outcomes and the occupational category could not be found.ConclusionOur observations support the assumption about a controlling role of coping in the relationship between work-related stress, alexithymia, emotional processing loneliness and positive/negative affect in medical staff working amid pandemic.     

Emergency medicine in the United States: a systemic review

BACKGROUND:

Fifty years of our history in developing and advancing emergency medicine into an independent medical specialty will surely provide emergency medicine colleagues from all over the world with valuable suggestions and guidance.DATA SOURCES: This systemic review is based on the author’s extensive experience through active involvement in the national and international development of emergency medicine.

RESULTS:

Emergency physicians in the U.S. emergency departments and sometimes other settings provide urgent and emergency care to patients of all ages, including definitive diagnosis of emergent conditions, prolonged stabilization of patients when necessary, airway management, and life-saving procedures using rapid sequence intubation and sedation. They use a multitude of diagnostic technologies including laboratory studies, bedside ultrasound and other sophisticated radiology, such as CT scan, and MRI.

CONCLUSION:

In the U.S., emergency medicine fits extremely well into the overall medical system, and is clearly the most efficient way to provide emergency patient care.KEY WORDS: Emergency medicine, Systemic review, U.S.A.     

Continuous Glucose Monitoring in the Intensive Care Unit During the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVEReal-time continuous glucose monitoring (rtCGM) in critically ill hospitalized patients holds promise; however, real-world data are needed.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSWe placed Dexcom G6 CGM on intensive care unit (ICU) patients at Montefiore Medical Center with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and glycemic variability. We analyzed inpatient CGM accuracy using point-of-care (POC) glucose–CGM matched pairs and included patients for analysis regardless of clinical status.RESULTSWe included 11 patients with CGM: 8 on continuous insulin infusion (CII), 8 on vasopressors, 8 intubated, 4 on high-dose glucocorticoids, 6 on renal replacement therapy, and 2 with anasarca. Accuracy was 12.58% for mean and 6.3% for median absolute relative difference. CGM reduced POC testing by ∼60% for patients on CII.CONCLUSIONSIn this real-world preliminary analysis of rtCGM during critical illness, we demonstrate early feasibility, considerable accuracy, and meaningful reduction in the frequency of POC glucose testing.     

Remote Advance Care Planning in the Emergency Department During COVID-19 Disaster: Program Development and Initial Evaluation

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic caused an unprecedented surge of patients presenting to emergency departments and forced hospitals to adapt to provide care to patients safely and effectively. The purpose here was to disseminate a novel program developed under disaster conditions to address advance care planning communications.MethodsA program development and initial evaluation was conducted for the Remote Goals of Care program, which was created for families to communicate patient goals of care and reduce responsibilities of those in the emergency department.ResultsThis program facilitated 64 remote goals of care conversation, with 72% of conversations taking place remotely with families of patients who were unable to participate. These conversations included discussions of patient preferences for care, including code status, presence of caregivers or surrogates, understanding of diagnosis and prognosis, and hospice care. Initially, this program was available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, with gradual reduction in hours as needs shifted. Seven nurses who were unable to work in corona-positive environments but were able to continue working remotely were utilized. Lessons learned include the need for speed and agility of response and the benefit of established relationships between traditionally siloed specialties. Additional considerations include available technology for patients and families and expanding the documentation abilities for remote nurses. A logic model was developed to support potential program replication at other sites.DiscussionUpon initial evaluation, Remote Goals of Care Program was well received and demonstrated promise in decanting the responsibility of goals of care discussions from the emergency department to a calmer, remote setting. In future iterations, additional services and technology adjustments can be made to make this program more accessible to more patients and families. Other facilities may wish to replicate our Remote Goals of Care Program described here.     

Impacts and challenges of United States medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic

The delivery of medical student education has changed rapidly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Students in their pre-clinical years have transitioned to online courses and examinations. Students in their clinical years are not permitted on clinical rotations, and face uncertainties in career exploration and the residency application process. Medical students in all stages of training are volunteering and helping their communities. The future presence of COVID-19 throughout the United States is unknown, and medical students are eager to return to their training. This paper outlines current challenges in medical student education and the various responses that have been adopted. We also discuss possible future directions for students through involvement in telemedicine, outpatient clinic visits, and non-respiratory inpatient care tasks as adequate personal protective equipment, COVID-19 testing, and resources become more widely available.     

Changes in the Employment Status of People With and Without Disabilities in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic

ObjectiveUsing data from the monthly Current Population Survey, this paper provides monthly employment and unemployment statistics for people with and without disabilities in the United States before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic to date (January 2021).DesignCross-sectional analysis of the Current Population Survey.SettingThe United States.ParticipantsPeople with and without disabilities ages 16-64 years.InterventionN/AMain Outcome MeasuresPercentage employed, percentage unemployed, percentage not in labor force, percentage on temporary layoff, percentage looking for work.ResultsEstimates show that, like workers without disabilities, workers with disabilities experienced increases in unemployment at the beginning of the pandemic but continued to remain engaged in the labor force. Our analysis finds that employment rates dropped from 74.8% to 63.2% for those without disabilities and from 31.1% to 26.4% for those with disabilities between February 2020 and April 2020 but gradually improved in the succeeding months.ConclusionsAs the pandemic continued, the percentage of unemployed people with and without disabilities on temporary layoff decreased and those looking for work increased.     

综合医院应对突发重大传染病疫情的应急护理管理

目的总结综合医院在应对突发重大传染病疫情时的应急护理管理实践经验,为护理管理者科学应对疫情提供参考。方法新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情期间,该院护理部在医院疫情防控指挥小组的统一部署下,迅速成立防疫护理组织应急管理小组并启动应急管理预案,配合实施应急管理工作,持续管理护理质量与患者安全,多措并举有力保障疫情防控工作。结果在护理部应急管理小组的统一指导下,该院一线2 800余名支援护士顺利协助并完成发热门急诊、隔离病区、方舱医院及其他一线病区患者的重症抢救、检验检查、诊疗转运等救援工作。结论该院护理部通过制订护理组织应急管理方案和构建精准化管理策略,为指导各级护理人员进行科学防控疫情和精细化管理提供了保障。     

Comparison of the clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in children before and after the emergence of Delta variant of concern in Japan

Delta variant of concern (VOC) is the current predominant severe acute respiratory coronavirus type 2 strain causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); however, information regarding the impact of the Delta VOC on clinical features and outcomes in pediatric patients with COVID-19 is limited. We conducted a retrospective observational study using the data of patients <18 years of age in COVIREGI-JP, the COVID-19 registry in Japan. The patients were divided into two groups according to the timing of enrollment in the registry (pre-Delta VOC era, October 2020 to May 2021; and Delta VOC era, August to October 2021), and the clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared between the two groups. During the study period, 950 and 349 pediatric patients were registered in the pre-Delta VOC and Delta VOC eras, respectively. The median patient age was younger and the proportion of patients with underlying diseases was higher in the Delta VOC era than that in the pre-Delta VOC era (10.0 vs 7.0 years, P < 0.001, and 7.4% [n = 70] vs. 12.6% [n = 44], P = 0.004, respectively). Significantly more patients were admitted to the intensive care unit in the Delta VOC era than in the pre-Delta VOC era (1.4% [ n = 5] vs. 0.1% [n = 1], P = 0.006), but no patient in either group died or required mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation throughout the study period, suggesting that the overall outcomes in children with COVID-19 remained favorable even in the Delta VOC era in Japan.