Embargoed for Release at 6 a.m., March 1, 1999
Contact:
Laura Gore (202) 728-0610, ext. 3009
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EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT ROLE EXAMINED IN AN ERODING SOCIAL SAFETY NET
Washington, DC -- An article examines the role of the emergency department as a social safety net in an era of social reform, and the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration reports on the world's most powerful research simulator, in the March issue of Annals of Emergency Medicine. Copies of the articles may be obtained from the Washington Office of the American College of Emergency Physicians.
THE HOSPITAL ED AS A SOCIAL WELFARE INSTITUTION
An article examines the social role of the hospital emergency department in an era of reform, stating that the emergency department is perhaps the only local institution where professional help is mandated by law, with guaranteed availability for all persons, all the time, regardless of the problem.
The article describes how emergency departments are busier than ever, with visits rising to more than 90 million per year in the United States. More of the disadvantaged may pass through the emergency department than through any other community institution, making it a logical site not only for treating acute illness, but also for identifying basic social needs and extending existing community resources.
"Despite being a true social safety net, the emergency department's potential as a social welfare institution generally goes underestimated, hampering its full development as an effective societal resource," said Dr. James Gordon of the University of Michigan Health System, Department of Emergency Medicine. "In examining how emergency departments can serve the disadvantaged, one answer may be to establish social triage centers, which could provide a comprehensive system for social screening, evaluation, and coordination of services, and are designed to work in conjunction with emergency medical care."
OTHER ARTICLES
-- NHTSA Develops World's Most Powerful Research Simulator.-- The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration reports on the National Advanced Driving Simulator, a 450 million research tool that will define a new standard in high-fidelity driving simulation and enable engineers, scientists, physicians, pharmacologists, and others to investigate the complex interaction between the driver, vehicle, and roadway environment.
-- Early Defibrillation Programs Policy Statement.-- ACEP endorses the widespread availability of automatic external defibrillators and the implementation of early defibrillation programs coordinated with emergency medical services delivery systems to ensure the following: immediate activation of the EMS system for the ventricular fibrillation victim, immediate delivery of CPR, early defibrillation by the first designated responder to arrive on the scene, timely provisions of Advanced Life Support, rapid transport to an emergency medical facility, and medical direction of all components including the AED program.
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Annals of Emergency Medicine is the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians, a national medical society representing nearly 20,000 physicians who specialize in emergency medicine. ACEP is committed to improving the quality of emergency care through continuing education, research, and public education. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, ACEP has 53 chapters representing each state, as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, and a Government Services Chapter representing emergency physicians employed by military branches and other government agencies.
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