High Risk EM Conferences

[docB]

I just got done taking one of the High Risk Emergency Medicine courses that we all get ads about. While there were some low points I would overall recommend that EM attendings and upper level residents seriously consider taking one of these courses. I learned some things about EMTALA and HIPPA that I didn’t know before. I also learned about some of the ways you can accidentally get in trouble with billing. This was in addition to a lot of pearls about the most frequent types of cases that result in law suits against ER docs. Everyone in EM needs to be conscious of the med mal crisis and how to document to protect yourself. If you’re in residency you need to start thinking about these things and the sooner the better.

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[Sheerstress]

Did you attend the course through CEME? I did it a couple of years ago and thought it was pretty good in the same way you described.

The best one I've attended, however, was probably the one put on by Greg Henry and Neil Little - those guys will make you sweat!

 

[docB]

I did the one sponsored by EPMG. I know that EMEDS which is affiliated with EmCare also has one. I've heard good things about the one you mentioned too.

 

[USCDiver]

Don't know if it's allowed or somehow copyrighted through the conference, but can you share the most salient points you gleaned for us working stiffs who can't afford to jet off to some secluded desert spa for a weekend of fun, sun and EMTALA?

 

[docB]

Don't know if it's allowed or somehow copyrighted through the conference, but can you share the most salient points you gleaned for us working stiffs who can't afford to jet off to some secluded desert spa for a weekend of fun, sun and EMTALA?

Sorry. I was this question and planned to resond when I had more time. Then I forgot about it.
These courses tell you a lot of the things that we know already but just don't have time to do like sit down and let your pt tell their whole, rambling irrelevant story because even though it doesn't add to the clinical picture it makes them happy and happy pts sue less. You should document al sorts of particular things like no shoulder pain on sz pts and wound explored to base with bloodless fied and no fb found. Again, it's great but it takes time.

The course I went to had the format of high risk complaints. For example back pain can seem simple and make you miss a AAA. I've started being really careful about this one and I US all of my elderly back pains who don't have a long hx of back pain or a hx of recent trauma.

All in all it's a lot of CYA but that's the idea. It's the pinnicle of defensive medicine.