OBJECTIVE Our hypothesis was that an individual whose primary role was to assist with patient throughput would decrease emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS), elopements and ambulance diversion. The objective of this study was to measure how the use of an expeditor affected these throughput metrics. METHODS This pre-and post-intervention study analyzed ED patients ≥ 21-years-old betw...

R. Stupp1, M. Brada2, M. J. van den Bent3, J.-C. Tonn4 & G. Pentheroudakis5 on behalf of the ESMO Guidelines Working Group* Department of Oncology and Cancer Centre, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Wirral, UK; Department of Neuro-Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Center, Rotter...

The American Association of Poison Control Centers (PCCs) has a nationwide toll-free number for contacting regional poison centers. To be automatically connected to a local poison center, call 800/222-1222. EMS providers should follow local protocols to determine how to contact PCCs, either directly or through on-line medical control. Most experts agree that PCCs are a reliable and current sour...

PURPOSE To establish a cost-effective centralized pharmacy call center to serve the patients of Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 11 that would meet established performance metrics. METHODS A pilot project began in August 2011 with the Indianapolis VA Medical Center (VAMC) and the Health Resource Center (HRC) in Topeka, Kansas. The Indianapolis VAMC used a first-call resolution busin...

This article considers the medical measures of the 1920 Aliens Order barring aliens from Britain. Building on existing local and port public health inspection, the requirement for aliens to be medically inspected before landing significantly expanded the duties of these state agencies and necessitated the creation of a new level of physical infrastructure and administrative machinery. This arti...

OBJECTIVE To examine the hidden cost of medical education at the Sydney Medical School, for which the University of Sydney does not pay. METHODS All face-to-face teaching provided for students in the Sydney University Postgraduate Medical Program was listed under two headings: teaching by university employed staff; and teaching by other health providers not paid by the university. All teachin...

Computerized Image Registration approaches can offer automatic and accurate image alignments without extensive user involvement and provide tools for visualizing combined images. The aim of this survey is to present a review of publications related to Medical Image Registration. This paper paints a comprehensive picture of image registration methods and their applications. This paper is an intr...

Electronic medical record (EMR) implementation efforts face many challenges, including individual and organizational barriers and concerns about loss of productivity during the process. These issues may be particularly complex in large and diverse settings with multiple specialties providing inpatient and outpatient care. This case report provides an example of a successful EMR implementation t...

Medical devices are pervasive throughout modern healthcare, but each device works on its own and in isolation. Interoperable medical devices would lead to clear benefits for the care provider and the patient, such as more accurate assessment of the patient’s health and safety interlocks that would enable error-resilient systems. The Center for Integration of Medicine & Innovative Technology (ww...