ACEP SA Replay

Over the past several years, there has been an explosion in the use of various social media platforms, podcasts, and various websites devoted to Emergency Medicine. The term FOAM, or free open access medical education, is used to broadly categorize these resources, which for the most part are available to all providers. While certain providers may be able to seamlessly integrate this growing body of information into their daily practice, many providers may be unfamiliar with or uncomfortable accessing and implementing this new world of information. In this course we hope to familiarize novice users with the world of FOAM. We hope to highlight various resources that provide easy access to these resources. In addition we hope to illustrate the overlap that is developing between FOAM and traditional CME for providers. Finally we hope to address the unique pitfalls and challenges that can occur when providers attempt transfer knowledge from online into clinical practice.

The literature on concussion has grown exponentially over the past decade. CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), brain remodeling, return to play guidelines, and the connection of concussion to other diseases (e.g. ALS) are only beginning to be understood. Whether working in the ED or on the sidelines the Emergency Physician should be aware of literature based information on this controversial topic.

Confusion about cardiac arrest management and recent recommendations? Are there different interpretations of the guidelines and approaches to cardiac arrest care? This course is a friendly (and possibly not so friendly), high-level, dialogue of the major management strategies in the patient with cardiac arrest in the ED. The various issues discussed will include the importance of chest compressions and what CPR technique to employ, early defibrillation, airway management (when and if it is needed), the use of cardioactive (the "code drugs") medications, early post-resuscitative care, and factors influencing the decision to terminate resuscitative efforts.

Calling back patients has improves patient care, satisfaction, and safety. The speaker will discuss the use of post-discharge callbacks as a method to improve the patient experience and quality of care. Challenging questions will be addressed such as “how to handle the upset patient?” or “what can I leave on the voicemail?” Examples of scripting to address these areas will be utilized and ideally audience interaction can generate ideas, solutions to common questions. Finally, methods to obtain buy in, to track calls, and to promote compliance will be addressed.

During this interactive course, the speaker will review emergency medicine charts and discuss how wording factors into lawsuits. You will learn how specific charting can help avoid getting sued and/or win the case if there is litigation.

Patients with chronic abdominal disorders such as cyclic vomiting syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and gastroparesis can be challenging for emergency providers. When are symptom exacerbations indicative of more sinister pathology? What are the current recommendations for successful symptomatic treatment? When should we consider imaging in this population? The speaker will review the keys to successfully managing these patients in the emergency department.

This is a can’t miss life-threatening emergency for any emergency provider. Review the causes, pathophysiology, and treatment for thyroid storm and myxedema coma.

Starting a new job is exciting and full of opportunities. Whether you’re an experienced emergency physician or starting your first job out of residency, opportunities present themselves both in and out of the ED that could land you in hot water or lead to making a bad impression on your colleagues. This speaker will examine what to do and what not to do when starting a new job.

MUDPILES – a familiar pneumonic for the evaluation of the ED patient with a high anion-gap metabolic acidosis. The speaker will review how to apply this pneumonic to the ED patient and when to expand the differential diagnosis beyond MUDPILES.

Over the last two decades, the utilization of CT scan for nephrolithiasis has increased nearly 10 fold without an increase in diagnosis, stone complications or hospitalization rates. Recently clinical decision rule to determine which patients require CT imaging to exclude serious alternative diagnoses was published. Additionally, another recent study compared outcomes in patients with suspected renal colic randomized to either ultrasound or renal CT and found no difference in outcomes, but increased radiation exposure, length of stay, and cost with CT. In this case based interactive discussion the speaker will discuss the historical evidence behind increased CT use, the latest research, and a commonsense approach to the workup of renal colic.