Opportunities Don't Miss This Save on PEPID until June 30! PEPID and EMRA have partnered to bring you an exclusive discount on PEPID Emergency Medicine Platinum Suite. Residents & Students save 50% on a one-year subscription for the month of June only! Hurry and purchase your subscription today! 1 in 5 Non-admitted ED Patients Referred by their PCP The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics surveyed non-admitted patients, ages 18-64, between January and June, 2011 to determine why they sought care in the ED. The study found that 1 in 5 patients were referred to the ED by their primary care physician (PCP). Theories to explain this high number of referrals included their PCP being closed on weekends and evenings, PCP reluctance to tell their patients not to seek medical care, and the PCP’s desire for their patient to seek specialized care. Additionally, the survey found that patient’s preference played a large factor into their choice to visit the ED, as many did not to want to wait until their PCP was available to see them. The survey further found that 1 in 5 patients sought care at the ED because they have nowhere else to go. Only 9% of patients not admitted arrived to the ED by ambulance. Check out the recently released CDC study results for additional incredible findings. EMRA/ACEP Health Policy Mini-Fellowship The approved mini-fellowship provides a fourweek experience centered out of ACEP's Washington, D.C. office. This is an intensive, short-term policy curriculum that will provide meaningful advocacy exposure. Apply online here. Deadline: July 15, 2012 EMRA Photo Contest! Send us your best shots! If you've been inspired lately to capture images from an away rotation, the changing of the seasons, or the sights of your city, we want to see! Visit the EMRA Website to upload your submission. Deadline: August 1, 2012 QIPS Resident Quality Award 2012 QIPS has established an annual QIPS Resident Quality Award for 2012 graduating resident emergency physicians or fellows who demonstrate excellence in, and a passion for quality improvement. Submitted projects will be judged on their overall importance, innovation, approach and applicability to the general ED community. Award recipients will receive a free 1-year QIPS membership, be recognized at the QIPS Annual Meeting at ACEP Scientific Assembly, and enjoy a brief synopsis of their work in our newsletter. A nomination form can be found here. Deadline: August 1, 2012 EMRA Fall Awards Visit the EMRA Website for a complete list of award opportunities meant to honor those who have contributed to emergency medicine as educators, advocates, clinicians and mentors. Legislative Corner Controversy over the ACA The Supreme Court is expected to rule later this month over the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, and the decision of the highest court will largely determine the impact of that law. However, legislative efforts to dismantle the law continue, with a Republican majority in the House voting repeatedly to repeal or de-fund various components of the law. Even if parts of the law, such as the individual mandate, are struck down by the Supreme Court or repealed, there are many components of the bill which will likely remain, and will significant impact physician practice in the future. To learn more about those components of the bill, and the consequences facing physicians in the legal realm, read the latest What’s Up article by Kael Duprey, MD, JD, on Physicians Post-PPACA. Deadline: August 15 Give Your Input! In 1996 SAEM made a recommendation in regards to the training that EM residents should have in Emergency Medical Services. The following short survey aims to obtain a resident perspective on the training that we currently receive and to identify any areas for improvement. Thank you in advance for your assistance in making our specialty even stronger. Leadership and Advocacy This year’s Leadership and Advocacy Conference in Washington DC was a great success for ACEP and EMRA. Physicians from 49 states were present to lobby on the Hill, visiting 98% of the offices in the Senate and more than half of the offices of members of the House of Representatives. Approximately 135 residents attended, largely funded by the Chair’s Challenge. While on Capitol Hill, the physicians discussed the unstable Medicare physician payment Sim Wars Competition system; medical liability reform, in particular, for The second annual Great Plains Medical physicians providing care under the EMTALA Student Sim Wars Competition will be held mandate; the need to repeal the Independent September 29, 2012 at Washington University Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) created in the School of Medicine in St. Louis! Applications are health reform law; budget shortfalls leading now being accepted for teams of 4 students. states to limit Medicaid beneficiaries access to Contact Jonathan Heidt or Christopher Sampson the emergency department and possible to apply or for more information. violations of the prudent layperson standard; and legislation to prohibit the sale of synthetic drugs Section Connection - Air Medical Transport and proposals to help ameliorate drug Have you had the opportunity to participate in air shortages. medicine? Perhaps your residency includes flight time, or maybe you’ve sought out The background materials and handouts which opportunities on your own. Either way, air helped to prepare the physicians for the visits medicine is an integral part of the health care are available to you on the ACEP Website, if you system, and ACEP’s Air Medical Transport would like to learn more about these important Section focuses on the safe administration of legislative priorities. Ask your Program Director high quality medical care throughout the today if your program participated in the Chair’s transport of the patient. Challenge, and if you could attend next year as a part of this valuable program! If you have already dedicated yourself to air medicine, if you’re looking to connect with others SPONSORED MESSAGE: in the field, or if you’re just interested in getting more information, check out the ACEP Air Medical Transport Section. To explore all of the ACEP Sections, please visit the section catalog. Remember, your first ACEP Section membership is FREE, and additional ones are only $20. Upcoming Events ACEP Teaching Fellowship Dallas, TX August 13 - 19, 2012 EMRA Fall Awards Deadline August 15, 2012 EMRA Fall Representative Council Resolutions Deadline August 24, 2012 Residency News The Patient Care Chart: Your Greatest Defense in Courtroom Emergency medicine as a field is no stranger to legal issues, and those that have practiced the craft for a significant length of time can probably share some frightening legal stories. Defending your decisions during medicolegal scrutiny EMRA Board of Directors Application Deadline September 10, 2012 RRC-EM Meeting Chicago, IL September 21 - 22, 2012 EMRA Medical Student Forum Denver, CO October 7, 2012 EMRA Residency Fair Denver, CO October 7, 2012 EMRA Resident Forum Denver, CO October 8, 2012 EMRA Job Fair Denver, CO October 8, 2012 ACEP's Scientific Assembly Denver, CO October 8 - 11, 2012 EMRA Rep Council Meeting Denver, CO October 9, 2012 ABEM Fall Oral Certification Exams October 27 - 29, 2012 EMBRS Workshop Dallas, TX November 5 - 12, 2012 AMA House of Delegates Interim Meeting Honolulu, HI November 10 - 13, 2012 ABEM Qualifying Exams November 12 - 18, 2012 however is a not simply a post-incident task. Andrew Koslow, MD, JD, and Diana Nordlund, DO relate that presenting the clinical encounter in the patient's chart in a manner that even those not involved in your specialty can come to the same reasonable conclusions is key for risk management. The authors argue that a few simple lines using a storytelling approach can help readers of any medical literacy level understand your thought process. For example, a line or two noting how the ready-for-discharge pediatric patient behaves as a normal child can bolster the care report. The authors give several concrete examples of important elaborations to care reports that further allow layperson readers to understand a physician's thought process in management. Check out the article here for more examples and continue to watch for more articles from ACEP’s Medical-Legal Committee called “LegalEase.” Workplace Violence: Common But Not Acceptable in the ED The environment of emergency medicine can rapidly become hostile for healthcare providers as patients of unknown intention and capacity are brought into the emergency department each day. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 60% of all nonfatal assaults and violent acts by persons in 2007 were in healthcare/social services sectors with an estimated 900 deaths and 1.7 million nonfatal assaults annually. These statistics are also said to be underreported due to a perception that employment in the ED entails assaults, that reporting assaults will not result in any action, and that a lack of institutional policy exists. Overcrowding and long wait times are also reported to be contributors to increased risk of workplace violence in the ED. Our EMRA Representative to the ACEP Public Health and Injury Prevention Committee, James Dazhe Cao, MD, et al. stress the importance for EM departments to affirm their commitment to workplace safety in this article. Emergency departments need to emphasize de-escalation training, environmental changes, and a zerotolerance policy toward workplace violence that can help resolve conflict and reduce injuries. The ACEP Public Health and Injury Prevention Committee recently published a compilation of resources and information on emergency department violence. Additionally, you can contribute to the study of ED violence by completing their survey. Small, Colorful, Bite-sized Detergent Packets Attract Children Emergency departments and toxicology specialists are dealing with a new phenomenon in the ED involving the colorful bite-sized tablets filled with detergent. In the last few months, over 250 people called poison control for the ingestion of detergent packets. The bright, candy-colored detergent packets combine laundry detergent and other robust cleaning agents and dissolve quickly in liquid, so that even if a child takes a small bite of the packet, they risk ingesting some of the contents. While the symptoms may only be mild, the American Association of Poison Centers reported that multiple children have presented with severe vomiting and had to be managed with ventilators. EM doctors should have high level of suspicion for serious ingestion and keep detergent packets on their list of toxicology differential with the pediatric population. Check out the article by the AAPC here. Rep Council Corner New Academic Year, New Program Representative? As we start another academic year and say goodbye to senior residents as they become fellows/attendings and welcome a new class of EM interns. We realize many EMRA Program Reps might be graduating or passing their responsibilities onto other residents. If your program has a new program rep, please email us at vicespeaker@emra.org so that we can be sure to keep you in the loop and help you effectively represent your program! Gearing up for Denver EMRA will be meeting in conjunction with ACEP Scientific Assembly in Denver, CO October 6-11, 2012. Check out www.emra.org for a complete schedule of EMRA events including our Job Fair, Representative Council meeting, and Fall Award Reception among others! Now is a great time to think about writing a resolution to be submitted for the Rep Council Meeting. The resolution deadline will be in late August. If you have questions about writing a resolution, email vicespeaker@emra.org - this is your chance to shape EMRA Policy and help our organization better serve its members! Medical Student News Tis the Season It’s June. For many of us, this means one thing: boards. While these standardized exams are extremely important, there will come a time when we close the review books, eat our sack lunch and make the final click on our 9-hour electronic masterpiece. Then what? In case you’ve accidentally lost motivation this month, we are here to remind you: emergency medicine is pretty fantastic! So take a 10 min study break and click here to read about how awesome your EM clerkship can be. All You Need, In Your Pocket EMRA’s new Basics of Emergency Medicine is concise, 23-page, chief-complaint guide that will have you prepped for your EM clerkship in no time! Designed to throw in your pocket, flip through this summary of common EM chief complaints just moments before seeing or presenting your patient! All at a discount for EMRA members. Click here to learn more. What’s In a SLOR? Missed the SAEM Conference in Chicago this year? Feeling left out? We’re here to help. While a variety of topics were covered during this year’s Medical Student Symposium, one in particular seemed to stand out: the SLOR. Also known as a “Standardize Letter of Recommendation," the SLOR is a vital component to your residency application. Click here to see a SLOR form and read more about the role of SLORs in your residency applications. Submit to EM Resident We want to hear your voice…on paper. EM Resident is EMRA’s award-winning, bi-monthly magazine publication. Every issue proudly contains 4-5 medical student articles, and yours should be one of them! Opinions to voice or observations to make? Life lessons or advice to share? Let EM Resident be your podium. No word length minimum or topic limitations; just your voice on paper! Click here to view previously published issues. We accept articles all year round, so send your writings and a photo of yourself to the EMRA Student Editor. Chief Editors: Cameron Decker, MD Suzanne Bryce, MD President-Elect Co-Chief Editor Baylor College of Medicine Vanderbilt University Rep Council Corner Editor: Legislative Corner Editor: Matt Rudy, MD Alison Haddock, MD Vice Speaker of the Council Legislative Advisor Washington Univ. in St. Louis Tacoma Emergency Care Physicians Contributing Authors Revathi Jyothindran, Student Editor Donald Stader, MD Regina Bailey, MD Rachel Inbanathan Sam Carli Reid Orth, MD Erin Drasler, MD Nilesh Patel, DO James Hartline Theresa Tran Hashim Zaidi To ensure delivery to your inbox, add EMRA@emra.org to your address book. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE - it is being sent from an unattended mailbox. Need support Contact EMRA Member Services. View the EMRA Privacy Policy. Copyright © 2011 Emergency Medicine Residents' Association. All rights reserved. EMRA Corporate Offices | 1125 Executive Circle | Irving, Texas 75038 Click here if you don't wish to receive these messages in the future.