Adolescent Confidentiality and Consent in an Emergency Setting.

OBJECTIVES: The adolescent population comprises a large volume of emergency department visits each year. A recent study showed that 20% of the ambulatory care visits of adolescent patients aged 15 to 25 years were made to the emergency department. This specific population often has poor access to health care and often is a vulnerable population, causing medical care to be a challenge. The purpose of this article was to review the standard practice and the specific laws regarding confidentiality and consent when treating an adolescent patient to provide the best possible care and treatment. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was done to examine key aspects of adolescent confidentiality and informed consent in an emergency setting. The literature was then compiled into a review article. RESULTS: The article outlines the specific laws for emergency providers to be aware of regarding patient confidentiality and consent. The adolescent patient can consent to medical care without parental consent, when involving emergency care, contraceptive services, sexually transmitted infections, prenatal care, drug or alcohol related care, mental health services, and sexual assault services. Also, emancipated minors and mature minors are both situations in which a minor has the legal authority to refuse care and make decisions regarding their health care. CONCLUSIONS: Patient confidentiality and informed consent are complex and complicated topics when dealing with the pediatric patient. Although some laws may vary state to state, there are specific details regarding adolescent confidentiality and informed consent that every provider should be aware of. The adolescent population is more likely to seek emergency care if the visit is confidential and the patient feels a sense of trust. Although it is important for providers to respect patient confidentiality when treating adolescents, it is also important for providers to encourage adolescents to confide in their parents regarding health issues.

An Initiative to Improve Efficiency of Emergency Department Adolescent Behavioral Health Visits.

ABSTRACT: Pediatric mental illnesses are quite prevalent in the United States and worldwide. Prevalence has been increasing, and it is estimated that 13% to 20% of US children have a mental illness that costs an estimated $247 billion per year and affects children's social, emotional, and cognitive development (Perou et al. MMWR Suppl. 2013;62:1-35). Pediatric behavioral health visits to the emergency department (ED) have been on an exponential rise constituting 5% to 7% of ED visits (Kalb et al. Pediatrics. 2019;143(4):e20182192). This requires pediatric emergency physicians to frequently manage pediatric mental health illnesses and interact with pediatric psychiatrists to create an integrated system.There is no universally accepted protocol for medical clearance of psychiatric patients (Corl et al. Med Health R I. 2008 91(11):339-341). Our medical clearance protocol comprised complete blood counts, complete metabolic panel, thyroid panel, urine toxicology screen, blood alcohol, urine human chorionic gonadotropin for females, and electrocardiogram for patients 16 years and older. These tests are obtained and have to result in pediatric ED before admission to the adolescent psychiatry unit, therefore occupying space and contributing to pediatric ED overcrowding. In an attempt to decrease our length of stay (LOS), we worked with multiple stakeholders to modify this protocol.Based on results of the data extrapolated from adult psychiatry studies (Olshaker et al. Acad Emerg Med. 1997;4(2), 124-128; Parmar et al. West J Emerg Med. 2012;13(5), 388-393; Janiak and Atteberry. J Emerg Med. 2012;43(5), 866-870). The medical clearance process was adjusted, and laboratory tests, electrocardiogram, and other ancillary studies were waived. The new protocol indicates testing based on a detailed history, physical examination, and clinical judgment. The new medical clearance protocol was initiated in December 2018. The median ED LOS for patients seen in the ED and admitted to our inpatient unit from January to November 2018 was 290 minutes in comparison with median LOS for December 2018 to December 2019 period, which was 204 minutes, showing a median reduction of 86 minutes with no adverse outcomes.The median number of encounters requiring admission in both these periods was comparable. A downstream effect of this process was also cost savings. The estimated cost savings ranged from $37.45 to $47.5 per patient, not including labor and other indirect costs. The medical clearance process is a daunting process for both patients and their families and emerging data questioning its use. Goal-directed medical clearance may be an efficient and cost-saving medical clearance for patients requiring emergent psychiatric evaluation.

Operationalizing COVID-19 testing: Who, what, when, where, why, and how.

The authors review the rationale behind and approaches to testing for COVID-19, the quality of currently available tests, the role of data analytics in strategizing testing, and using the electronic medical record and other programs designed to steward COVID-19 testing and follow-up of patients.

A Pilot Study to Reduce Computed Tomography Utilization for Pediatric Mild Head Injury in the Emergency Department Using a Clinical Decision Support Tool and a Structured Parent Discussion Tool.

INTRODUCTION: The American College of Emergency Physicians embarked on the "Choosing Wisely" campaign to avoid computed tomographic (CT) scans in patients with minor head injury who are at low risk based on validated decision rules. We hypothesized that a Pediatric Mild Head Injury Care Path could be developed and implemented to reduce inappropriate CT utilization with support of a clinical decision support tool (CDST) and a structured parent discussion tool. METHODS: A quality improvement project was initiated for 9 weeks to reduce inappropriate CT utilization through 5 interventions: (1) engagement of leadership, (2) provider education, (3) incorporation of a parent discussion tool to guide discussion during the emergency department (ED) visit between the parent and the provider, (4) CDST embedded in the electronic medical record, and (5) importation of data into the note to drive compliance. Patients prospectively were enrolled when providers at a pediatric and a freestanding ED entered data into the CDST for decision making. Rate of care path utilization and head CT reduction was determined for all patients with minor head injury based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes. Targets for care path utilization and head CT reduction were established a priori. Results were compared with baseline data collected from 2013. RESULTS: The CDST was used in 176 (77.5%) of 227 eligible patients. Twelve patients were excluded based on a priori criteria. Adherence to recommendations occurred in 162 (99%) of 164 patients. Head CT utilization was reduced from 62.7% to 22% (odds ratio, 0.17; 95% confidence interval, 0.12-0.24) where CDST was used by the provider. There were no missed traumatic brain injuries in our study group. CONCLUSION: A Pediatric Mild Head Injury Care Path can be implemented in a pediatric and freestanding ED, resulting in reduced head CT utilization and high levels of adherence to CDST recommendations.

PEMNetwork: Barriers and Enablers to Collaboration and Multimedia Education in the Digital Age.

In January 2005, PEMFellows.com was created to unify fellows in pediatric emergency medicine. Since then, the website has expanded, contracted, and focused to adapt to the interests of the pediatric emergency medicine practitioner during the internet boom. This review details the innovation of the PEMNetwork, from the inception of the initial website and its evolution into a needs-based, user-directed educational hub. Barriers and enablers to success are detailed with unique examples from descriptive analysis and metrics of PEMNetwork web traffic as well as examples from other online medical communities and digital education websites.

Decreasing handoff-related care failures in children's hospitals.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Patient handoffs in health care require transfer of information, responsibility, and authority between providers. Suboptimal patient handoffs pose a serious safety risk. Studies demonstrating the impact of improved patient handoffs on care failures are lacking. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a multihospital collaborative designed to decrease handoff-related care failures. METHODS: Twenty-three children's hospitals participated in a quality improvement collaborative aimed at reducing handoff-related care failures. The improvement was guided by evidence-based recommendations regarding handoff intent and content, standardized handoff tools/methods, and clear transition of responsibility. Hospitals tailored handoff elements to locally important handoff types. Handoff-related care failures were compared between baseline and 3 intervention periods. Secondary outcomes measured compliance to specific change package elements and balancing measure of staff satisfaction. RESULTS: Twenty-three children's hospitals evaluated 7864 handoffs over the 12-month study period. Handoff-related care failures decreased from baseline (25.8%) to the final intervention period (7.9%) (P < .05). Significant improvement was observed in every handoff type studied. Compliance to change package elements improved (achieving a common understanding about the patient from 86% to 96% [P < .05]; clear transition of responsibility from 92% to 96% [P < .05]; and minimized interruptions and distractions from 84% to 90% [P < .05]) as did overall satisfaction with the handoff (from 55% to 70% [P < .05]). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a standardized evidence-based handoff process across 23 children's hospitals resulted in a significant decrease in handoff-related care failures, observed over all handoff types. Compliance to critical components of the handoff process improved, as did provider satisfaction.

Dedicated pediatric behavioral health unit: serving the unique and individual needs of children in behavioral health crisis.

Pediatric mental health emergencies are an increasing part of emergency medical practice because emergency departments have become the safety net for a fragmented mental health infrastructure that is experiencing critical shortages in services in all sectors. The emergency services for behavioral health unit at Akron Children's Hospital is an innovative model for delivering care to pediatric patients with mental health emergencies. A multidisciplinary team using the expertise of emergency services, psychiatry, social work, parent advisory counsel, security services, and engineering/architecture developed the emergency services for behavioral health unit blueprint, process, and staffing model.