bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
P066: Methotrexate in the management of suspected ectopic pregnancy
Authors: Hawrylyshyn K. , McLeod S. , Thomas J. , Varner C.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: Early detection of ectopic pregnancy and careful management is critical to prevent adverse clinical outcomes, including fallopian tube rupture and future decreased fertility, in patients presenting to the ED with symptoms suggestive of ectopic pregnancy. Methotrexate therapy is widely accepted as a first line treatment of ectopic pregnancy, with success rates greater than 90% if used according to published guidelines. This study aims to determine the outcomes of pregnant women who presented to the ED with suspected ectopic pregnancy whom received methotrexate as first line treatment. Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of pregnant (<12 week gestational age) women from an academic tertiary care ED with a diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy, rule out ectopic pregnancy, or pregnancy of unknown location (PUL) over a 7 year period. Results: Of 612 included patients, 30 (4.9%) were diagnosed with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy at the index ED visit. Of the remaining 582 patients, 256 (44.0%) were diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy at the index ED visit, the Early Pregnancy Clinic, or a subsequent ED visit. Of these patients diagnosed with ectopic pregnancy, their initial treatments at time of discharge from the index ED visit were as follows: 102 (39.8%%) received methotrexate, 132 (51.6%) underwent expectant management, and 22 (8.6%) underwent surgical management. Of the 132 patients discharged with an expectant management plan, only 42 (31.8%) had a final outcome of expectant management; the others went on to be treated surgically or with methotrexate. Of the 165 patients treated with methotrexate at index visit or in follow-up, 30 (18.2%) went on to require surgical management with 17 (10.3%) documented as having ruptured on surgical evaluation. Clinical characteristics of patients treated with methotrexate include the following: mean age 32.8 years (SD 5.7), gestational age of 6.2 weeks (SD 1.2) and serum beta human chorionic gonadotropin level of 2702 mIU/mL (SD 8800). Conclusion: The proportion of patients receiving methotrexate as first-line treatment that resulted in rupture or required further surgical management is higher than reported literature at this institution. Further investigation is needed to determine if there was a relationship between methotrexate failure and non-adherence to recommended guidelines. Given the risk of a possible rupture, patient education of these risks is critical on discharge from the ED.
P067: Ectopic pregnancy outcomes in patients discharged from the emergency department
Authors: Hawrylyshyn K. , McLeod S. , Thomas J. , Varner C.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: The objective of this study was to determine the proportion of women who had a ruptured ectopic pregnancy after being discharged from the ED where ectopic pregnancy had not yet been excluded. Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of pregnant (<12 week gestational age) women discharged home from an academic tertiary care ED with a diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy, rule out ectopic pregnancy, or pregnancy of unknown location (PUL) over a 7 year period. Results: Of the 550 included patients, 83 (15.1%) had a viable pregnancy, 94 (17.1%) had a spontaneous or missed abortion, 230 (41.8%) had an ectopic pregnancy, 72 (13.1%) had unknown outcomes and 71 (12.9%) had other outcomes which included therapeutic abortion, molar pregnancy or resolution of HCG with no location documented. Of the 230 ectopic pregnancies, 42 (7.6%) underwent expectant management, 131 (23.8%) were managed medically with methotrexate, 29 (5.3%) were managed with surgical intervention, and 28 (5.1%) patients had a ruptured ectopic pregnancy after their index ED visit. Of the 550 included patients, 221 (40.2%) did not have a transvaginal US during their index ED visit, 73 (33.0%) were subsequently diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy. Conclusion: These results may be useful for ED physicians counselling women with symptomatic early pregnancies about the risk of ectopic pregnancy after they are discharged from the ED.
P071: Content of clinical informatics in international training standards for emergency medicine specialists
Authors: Holroyd B. R. , Beeson M. S. , Hughes T. , Kurland L. , Sherbino J. , Truesdale M. , Hersh W.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: The field of Clinical Informatics (CI) and specifically the electronic health record, has been identified as a key facilitator to achieve a sustainable evidence-based healthcare system for the future. International graduate medical education programs have been challenged to ensure their trainees are provided with appropriate skills to deliver effective and efficient healthcare in an evolving environment. This study explored how international Emergency Medicine (EM) specialist training standards address training in relevant areas of CI. Methods: A list of categories of CI competencies relative to EM was developed following a thematic review of published references documenting CI curriculum and competencies. Publically available, published documents outlining core content, curriculum and competencies from international organizations responsible for specialty graduate medical education and/or credentialing in EM for the United States, Canada, Australasia, the United Kingdom and Europe. These EM training standards were reviewed to identify inclusion of topics related to the relevant categories of CI competencies. Results: A total of 23 EM curriculum documents were included in the thematic analysis. Curricula content related to critical appraisal/evidence based medicine, leadership, quality improvement and privacy/security were included in all EM curricula. The CI topics related to fundamental computer skills, computerized provider order entry and patient-centered informatics were only included in the EM curricula documents for the United States and were absent for each other organization. Conclusion: There is variation in the CI related content of the international EM specialty training standards which were reviewed. Given the increasing importance of CI in the future delivery of healthcare, organizations responsible for training and credentialing specialist emergency physicians must ensure their training standards incorporate relevant CI content, thus ensuring their trainees gain competence in essential aspects of CI.
P075: Discovering the unknown: using storytelling to identify emergent learning needs for the intrinsic competencies within an online needs assessment
Authors: Jo D. , Tseng E. K. , de Wit K. , Chan T. M.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: Free Open Access Medical education (FOAM) resources have been developed using various needs assessment methods. We describe a storytelling exercise used to identify unperceived medical expert learning needs, which also resulted in the emergence of unknown learning needs within intrinsic physician roles. Methods: A FOAM curriculum was created for thrombosis based on an online needs assessment comprised of a topic listing, case scenarios, and a storytelling exercise. In the storytelling exercise, learners described i) a difficult case in thrombosis, and ii) why that case was difficult. In this qualitative description study, we performed a secondary thematic analysis of this storytelling data, coded for CanMEDS 2015 intrinsic roles. Two investigators independently coded transcripts to iteratively generate a coding framework. Results: 143 respondents completed the storytelling exercise. All responses yielded a gap in medical expertise, while 25 (17.5%) described an additional intrinsic theme. Learning needs in all six intrinsic roles were identified. The most commonly cited learning needs were in the Leader (recognizing how resource allocation impacts healthcare), Communicator (communicating expert knowledge with patients), and Collaborator (unclear communication between providers) domains. Participants who described an intrinsic learning need were primarily from emergency medicine (21/25, 84.0%). These excerpts were notable for how they expressed the complexity and affective components of medicine. Conclusion: Storytelling exercises can highlight context, attitudes, and relationships which provide depth to needs assessments. These narratives are a novel method of capturing emergent learning needs, which may be unknown to learner and faculty (Johari window). These intrinsic learning needs may ultimately be used to enrich learner-centered curricula.
P076: Choosing Wisely: hemoglobin transfusions and the treatment of iron deficiency anemia
Authors: Rice C. , Hair H. , Dowling S. K. , Joseph C. , Grigat D. , Lang E.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: Choosing Wisely Canada has identified blood transfusions as a priority area for improving clinical appropriateness. Relevant recommendations include Dont transfuse blood if other non-transfusion therapies or observation would be just as effective. In parallel with this recommendation, the Alberta division of Towards Optimized Practice (ToP) has developed guidelines for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) that emphasize the use of non-transfusion therapies (i.e. parenteral or oral iron, in appropriate patients). Choosing Wisely also emphasizes strategies to better engage patients in shared decision making. Methods: In order to better engage patients in shared decision making about their treatment options, both physician and patient handouts were developed using an iterative process. The development of the patient-facing documents began with a synthesis of educational materials currently available to patients with IDA. Clinical leaders from nine different specialties (Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Day Medicine, Hematology, and others) were continually engaged in the development of content using a consensus model. A focus group of ESCN patient advisors was assembled to review materials with an emphasis on: (1) Are the patient materials easily understood? (2) Are intended messages resonating while avoiding unintended messaging? (3) What information do patients require that has not been included? Following the focus group, revisions were made to patient materials and a subsequent online survey confirmed that the final version addressed any issues they had raised. Results: A four-page patient handout/infographic was developed utilizing best practices in information design, and in physician and patient engagement. Content includes the causes and symptoms of IDA, progressive treatment options from dietary changes to transfusion, and the four Choosing Wisely questions to discuss with your doctor. Conclusion: Patient education materials can be developed according to best practices in information design and stakeholder engagement. Patient focus groups demonstrate that such materials are easier to understand, and better equip patients to engage in shared decision making.
P080: Clinical lead nurse practitioner Strathcona Community Hospital
Authors: Klemmer D. K. , Ziebel C. , Sharif N. , Grubb S. , Sookram S.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: Prior to opening Strathcona Community Hospital (STCH) site leadership were tasked to develop an innovative care model. The central aim was quality improvement and patient safety optimization in the emergency department (ED) utilizing a nurse practitioner (NP) model. They developed 3 pillars: collaboration, multidisciplinary approach, and integration with the plan of improving patient satisfaction and ensuring no patient gets lost to follow up. NPs work in the STCH ED and the NP led Emergency Department Transition (EDT) Clinic in Ambulatory Care. In the ED NPs provide direct clinical care, judicious review of DI and microbiology reports, and care coordination for patients at risk of lost to follow up. The EDT clinic is an innovative NP lead clinic with the purpose of providing timely, high-quality follow up care for ED patients. Methods: Data for the service delivery indicators came from data repository and manual data collection looking at the following outcomes: timely review of DI/micro results; decreased ED visits for non-urgent/emergent issues; safe transitions in care and improved patient satisfaction. Quantitative data from service delivery, patient and surveys were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS 19. Results: From June 2016 to January 2017 ED NPs at STCH reviewed 3000 positive microbiology reports and made 517 f/u calls to those patients, and reviewed 3181 DI results. This has freed up approximately 2 hrs per day of ED physician time. When NPs were working in the ED, the number of patients who left without treatment (LWT) was approximately 50% less, and improved STCH ED wait times to be among the lowest in the Edmonton Zone. From June 2016 to January 2017, EDT NPs completed 837 patient visits; 371 letters to family physicians (FPs); 215 referrals; and connected 520 patients to a new FP. Patient satisfaction survey show 88-90% of the patients were satisfied with their care. Conclusion: NPs are integral members of the ED team at STCH, providing direct clinical care and several valuable follow up services for ED patients. The EDT clinic provides urgent follow up for ED patients unable to get a timely appointment with their FP or no access to primary care. The clinic also prevents unnecessary returns to ED, and aids to bridge ED services to family physicians or specialist. NPs are the common thread through all departments at STCH, contributing to quality improvement and high patient satisfaction.
P083: Developing an interview guide to explore physicians perceptions about unmet palliative care needs in Albertas emergency departments
Authors: Kruhlak M. , Villa-Roel C. , Rowe B. H. , McLane P.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: Many patients with advanced or end-stage diseases spend months or years in need of optimal physical, spiritual, psychological, and social care. Despite efforts to provide community care, those with severe illness often present to emergency departments (EDs). This abstract presents preliminary results on the qualitative component of an ED-based mixed methods pilot study. The objective of this qualitative component is to develop and test an interview guide to collect qualitative data on physicians perceptions about unmet palliative care (PC) and end of life care (EOLC) needs in EDs. Methods: A scan of the literature on PC and EOLC in EDs was conducted to develop propositions about what might be expected through the clinician interviews, as well as an interview guide. The interview guide will be piloted with up to four ED physicians. During the interview each physician will describe a case where a PC patient had unmet care needs and the impacts they believe these unmet needs had on patients and families. Interview transcripts will be coded descriptively and then conceptually themed by the researcher who conducted the interview. Interpretations drawn from the interview data, with supporting quotations and comparison to initial propositions, will be presented to members of the research team with experience providing ED care, for further interpretation. Advice of a second trained qualitative researcher will be sought on the richness and relevance of data obtained and how the interview guide could be improved to elicit richer and/or more relevant data. A revised interview guide will be produced alongside rationales for why the proposed revisions will elicit richer data. Results: After reviewing 27 articles on PC and EOLC, propositions and an initial interview guide were developed based on themes from the literature and the study groups experiences. One of the primary results of this pilot work will be an enhanced understanding of PC and EOLC in our local ED context, as reflected in an interview guide revised to elicit richer data than achieved through the initial interview guide. Conclusion: The comparison between our propositions and the study findings will help identify how biases may have influenced interview questions and/or the interpretation of the data. This pilot work to develop an interview guide enhances the rigour of this qualitative work on unmet PC and EOLC needs in EDs.
P085: Potential benefits of incentive spirometry following a rib fracture: a propensity-score analysis
Authors: Emond M. , Laguë A. , Kuimi B. Batomen , Boucher V. , Guimont C. , Chauny J. , Shields J. , Bergeron E. , Vanier L. , Plourde M. , Le Sage N.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: Incentive spirometry (IS) is commonly used in post-operative patients for respiratory recovery. Literature suggest that it can possibly improve lung function and reduce post-operative pulmonary complication. There is no recommendation about the use of IS in the emergency department (ED). However, rib fractures, a common complaint, increase the risk of pulmonary complications. There is heterogeneous ED practice for the management of rib fractures. The objective of this study is to assess the benefits of IS to reduce potential delayed complications in ED discharged patients with confirmed rib fracture. Methods: This is a prospective observational planned sub-study in 4 canadians ED between November 2006 and May 2012. Non-admitted patients over 16 y.o. with a main complaint of minor thoracic injury and at least one suspected/confirmed rib fracture on radiographs were included. Discharge recommendations of IS use was left to attending physician. IS training was done by ED nurses. Main outcomes were pneumonia, atelectasis and hemothorax within 14 days. Analyses were made with propensity score matching. Results: 450 patients with at least one rib fracture were included. Of these, 182 (40%) received IS with a mean age of 57.0 y.o. Patients with IS seem to have worse condition. 61 (33.5%) had 3 fractures comparatively to 56 (20.9) for patient without IS. Although, the groups were similar for mean age, sex and mechanism of injury. There were in total 76 cases of delayed hemothorax (16.9%), 69 cases of atelectasis (15.3%) and five cases of pneumonia (1.1%). The use of IS was not protector for delayed hemothorax (RR= 0.80, 95% CI [0.45 1.36]) and nor for atelectasis or pneumonia (RR=0.74, 95% CI [0.45 1.36]) Conclusion: Our results suggest that unsupervised and broad incentive spirometry use does not seem to add a protective effect against the development of delayed pulmonary complications after a rib fracture. Further study should be made to assess the usefulness of IS in specific injured population in the ED.
P086: Emergency department visits for upper gastrointestinal bleeding: a population-based Alberta cohort
Authors: Lang E. S. , Kaplan G. , Tanyingoh D. , Novak K. , Veldhuyzen van Zanten S. , Jelinski S. E. , Dowling S. K.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a common medical condition presenting to emergency departments (ED) and associated with substantial morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenditures. Our aim was to evaluate the incidence of patients presenting to ED with UGIB in a large population-based surveillance cohort. Methods: The National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS) was used to identify all presentations to emergency departments for UGIB in Alberta from fiscal year 2010 to 2015 (n=56519) using the International Classification of Diseases Codes (ICD-10) in any diagnostic position. Baseline characteristics and UGIB incidence were calculated using descriptive statistics. Joinpoint regression models were used to calculate the average annual percent change (AAPC) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: The median age of 56519 UGIB presentations was 56 years (interquartile range: 41 to 74 years), 56% were male, and 245% had at least one comorbidity. At time of disposition from the ED , 48.3% were admitted to or transferred to another hospital, 51.4% discharged, and 0.3% died in the emergency department. Further, 10.8% underwent upper endoscopy during their admission to the emergency department. The annual incidence of UGIB were 230.6 (2010), 232.8 (2011), 241.0 (2012), 242.2 (2013), 244.6 (2014), and 242.2 (2015) per 100,000 person-years. Between 2010 and 2015 the incidence of UGIB presenting to ED significantly increased overtime (AAPC=1.1; 95% CI: 0.3 to 2.0). Conclusion: UGIB is a common presentation to emergency departments and has been increasing overtime. Future studies are necessary to evaluate the underlying cause of UGIB and to determine its burden to Albertas healthcare system.
P087: Procedural sedation in Canadian emergency departments a national survey of pharmacological agent selection and practice variation
Authors: Leci E. , Van Aarsen K. , Shah A. , Yan J. W.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: Emergency department (ED) physicians strive to provide analgesia, amnesia and sedation for patients when performing painful procedures through the use of procedural sedation (PS). Examination of the literature suggests that the application of PS appears to be variable with institutional influences and clinician disagreement on pharmacology, airway management, and monitoring. The primary goal of this research project was to describe the variability of practice with respect to pharmacologic choices and clinical applications of PS among Canadian ED physicians. Methods: An electronic survey was distributed through the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP). Practicing physician members of CAEP were invited to complete the survey. The 20 question survey encompassed various aspects of PS including physician choices regarding PS indications and pharmacology. The primary outcome was the quantification of practice variability among ED physicians with respect to the above listed aspects of PS. The data was presented with simple descriptive statistics. Results: To date, 278 ED physicians responded to our survey (response rate 20.3%). Respondents were primarily academic hospital (53.2%) or community hospital based (38.2%). With emergency medicine training as: CCFP-EM (55.2%), FRCPC (30.1%), and CCFP (9.0%). There was relative agreement on the following interventions requiring PS: 98.4% applied PS for electrical cardioversion and 98.1% for brief (<10 mins) orthopedic manipulations. However, only 36.3% utilized PS for burn debridement in the ED. PS was utilized less frequently (78.1%) for prolonged (>10mins) orthopedic manipulations than brief manipulations. For all procedures aggregated, in hemodynamically stable patients with an American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) score of 1, ED physicians utilized propofol 76.3% of the time. Additional agents were utilized at the following rates: fentanyl-propofol (7.6%), ketamine (7.6%), and fentanyl (4%). This inclination towards propofol alone appears to be consistent across modality of ER training, type of ER setting (rural vs academic), and volume of PS performed. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that Canadian ED physicians have a clear preference for propofol as a first line pharmacologic agent when administering PS in hemodynamically stable, ASA1 patients. Conversely, there appears to be more variation amongst ED physicians with respect to second line pharmaceutical choices for PS.
P088: Procedural sedation in Canadian emergency departments a national survey of airway management, patient monitoring, and adverse events
Authors: Leci E. , Van Aarsen K. , Shah A. , Yan J. W.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: Emergency department (ED) physicians strive to provide analgesia, amnesia and sedation for patients undergoing painful procedures through the use of procedural sedation (PS). While, PS is generally safe and effective in the ED, there is institutional variability and clinician disagreement with respect to the bedside equipment required for airway management and the monitoring of adverse events. The primary goal of this research project was to describe the variability of the bedside setup utilized by Canadian ED physicians preforming PS in conjunction with self-reported adverse events. Methods: An electronic survey was distributed through the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP). Practicing physician members of CAEP were invited to complete the survey. The 20 question survey encompassed various aspects of PS including physician choices regarding bedside setup of airway equipment, and prevalence of self-reported adverse events. The primary outcome was the quantification of variability among ED physicians with respect to the above listed aspects of PS. Data was presented with simple descriptive statistics. Results: 278 ED physicians responded to our survey (response rate 20.9%). Respondents were primarily academic (53.2%) or community hospital based (38.2%). With emergency medicine training as: CCFP-EM (55.2%), FRCPC (30.1%), and CCFP (9.0%). The ED area in which PS was carried out varied; bedside (30.5%), procedure room (37.1%), resuscitation area (31.2%). The basic equipment set utilized appears to be a bag valve mask, suction, and an oral airway. These 3 items were present 95.4%, 95.9%, and 86.3% of the time respectively. The preparation of other items such as capnography and difficult airway equipment is highly variable and appears to be physician specific rather than clinical situation specific. The most common physician self-reported adverse events associated with PS appear to be hypoxia (Spo2<90%), hypotension (sBP<90), and prolonged sedation which occurred in 10.7%, 8.3%, and 8.1% of PS performed. Conclusion: There appears to be significant practice variability with respect to the clinical setting as well as the equipment ED physicians prefer when administering PS. Given that causal relationships cannot be inferred between airway/monitoring equipment preferences and adverse events, future studies should be targeted at identifying optimal bedside set ups which minimize adverse events.
P089: The effect of patient positioning on ultrasound landmarking for cricothyrotomy
Authors: Lee J. , Chen H. , Zhang M. , Kim D.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: The cricothyroid membrane is used as a landmark for emergent surgical airway access. Ultrasound identification of the cricothyroid membrane is more accurate than landmarking by palpation. The objective of this study was to determine whether head of bed elevation affects the position of the cricothyroid membrane as identified by ultrasound. Methods: This was a prospective, observational study on a convenience sample of adult patients presenting to the emergency department. Participants underwent ultrasound scans by trained physicians at 0, 30 and 90 degrees head of bed elevation to identify the cricothyroid membrane. The cricothyroid membrane position identified at 0 degrees was used as a reference, and the change in position of the external landmark of the cricothyroid membrane with the patient at 30 and 90 degrees was measured. Additionally, the patients gender, age, body mass index (BMI) and Mallampati score were recorded for comparison. Linear mixed effects models with 95% confidence intervals were used to determine the effect of head of bed elevation, age, BMI and Mallampati score on the differences between measured distances. Results: One hundred and two patients were enrolled in the study. The average change in position from reference was statistically significant for both 30 degrees [2.72±0.77mm (p<0.01)] and 90 degrees [4.23±0.77mm (p<0.01)] head of bed elevation. The adjusted linear mixed effects model showed age greater than 70, BMI over 30 and higher Mallampati score were associated with greater change in distance between cricothyroid membrane landmarks. Conclusion: There was a statistically significant difference in the position of the cricothyroid membrane comparing 0 degrees to 30 and 90 degrees head of bed elevation. However, the relatively small differences suggest that this finding is not clinically relevant. Further study is required to evaluate if these differences impact the actual successful performance of cricothyrotomy.
P094: A computerized provider order entry strategy to improve the quality of clinical information on neuroimaging requisitions from the emergency department: an interim analysis
Authors: Lin K. , Dowling S. K. , Yiu K. , Wang D. , van Gaal S. , Dickhoff P.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: Clinical context is critical for accurate radiologic interpretation of neuroimaging investigations. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of a change in the Emergency Department (ED) computerized provider order entry (CPOE) interface on the quality of clinical information conveyed in ED neuroimaging requisitions for suspected stroke patients. Methods: Four local EDs utilizing a common CPOE ED Stroke order set were studied before and after the introduction of a mandatory blank free text field requiring clinical information for the radiologist before a computed tomography angiography (CTA) request could be submitted. Prior to this modification, the indication (acute stroke) was pre-filled in the CTA request for convenience with the option of providing additional information at the discretion of the ordering physician. ED physicians were informed of the change as well as the rationale for its implementation. A retrospective pre (90 days) post (30 days) analysis was conducted across four local EDs to evaluate the impact of the CPOE user interface change on the quality of clinical information provided on neuroimaging orders. Patients aged 18 with CTA head and/or neck orders submitted from the order set were included. Patients were excluded if the CTA order was submitted outside of the ED Stroke order set, if order entry was by non-physician personnel, or if the order was modified by the diagnostic imaging department after ED submission. Clinical information from CTA orders were scored as complete, partial, or absent/uninformative based on a standardized rubric of critical elements, including: description of neurological deficit(s), lateralization, and timing of symptom onset or duration. Results were analyzed using chi square analysis. Results: Pre-implementation data from Oct 1, 2015 Jan 1, 2016 (N=652) was compared to post-implementation data from Nov 1 30, 2016 (N=227). The proportion of complete, partial, and absent/uninformative clinical histories were: 45.3%, 31.4%, and 23.3% in the pre-implementation period and 62.6%, 37.4%, and 0% in the post-implementation period respectively. There was a 38.2% relative increase in complete clinical histories, a 19.1% relative increase in partial clinical histories, and a 100% reduction in absent/uninformative clinical histories (p<0.001). Conclusion: The introduction of a mandatory free text field significantly increased the overall quality of clinical information provided on ED neuroimaging orders. This CPOE strategy has the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce unnecessary delays to imaging interpretation caused by lack of clinical information.
P095: Do resident as teacher programs increase emergency medicine residents comfort level with teaching junior learners?
Authors: Lipkus M. R. , Meiwald A. , Van Aarsen K.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: At academic hospitals, it is a residents responsibility to teach junior learners. Residents endorse that there is limited education on how to effectively teach junior learners, and suggest a more formal curriculum on how to teach would be beneficial. Emergency Medicine (EM) residencies in North America may have a resident as teacher (RAT) curriculum, however, no Canadian EM study has characterized the impact of a RAT curriculum on residents. Our educational concept was to implement a formalized RAT workshop for residents in an EM residency. We assessed residents attitudes and comfort levels towards teaching in response to the curriculum. Methods: A formal RAT curriculum, provided at a single center in a 6-hour session, was provided for both Royal College and College of Family Physician EM residents. Residents completed a survey evaluating attitudes and behaviours regarding their ability to teach and give feedback as part of their roles as teachers, consistent with Kirkpatricks second level of program evaluation. The surveys were administered pre-workshop, immediately post-workshop, and at 3 and 6 months following the RAT workshop. Results: Residents were surveyed in terms of their attitudes towards teaching on a 5-point likert scale. Our educational concept was delivered through a 6-hour workshop with emphasis on practical teaching skills that residents could incorporate into their practice. Lecture topics included orientation of the learner, giving effective feedback, teaching within a short time frame, as well as an introduction to theory of learning. Lectures were geared to be interactive, and included breakout sessions and group discussions. 21 residents participated in the workshop. Of 18 pre-survey respondents, 89.8% (n=16) had no previous formal training in how to teach, yet 72.21% (n=13) ‘sometimes’ or ‘often’ have a learner on shift with them. There were 15 post survey respondents. 53.33% (n=8) respondents somewhat agreed or agreed they were more likely to teach in response to the workshop, and 56.25% (n=8) responded that they somewhat agreed or agreed they were more comfortable with teaching while in the Emergency Department in an immediate post workshop survey. Conclusion: After a formal RAT curriculum, residents reported that they had increased comfort and were more likely to teach junior learners. Although small and single-centered, our study will help provide a basis for larger RAT studies, evaluating the effect on both residents and junior learners.
P096: Real-time 72 hour readmission alert
Authors: Lonergan K. , Lang E. S. , Dowling S. , Wang D. , Rich T.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: Hospital admission within 72 hours of emergency discharge is a widely accepted measure of emergency department quality of care. Patients returning for unplanned admission may reveal opportunities for improved emergency or followup care. Calgary emergency physicians, however, are rarely notified of these readmissions. Aggregate site measures provide a high level view of readmissions for managers, but dont allow for timely, individual reflection on practice and learning opportunities. These aggregations may also not correctly account for variation in planned readmissions and other workflow nuances. There was a process in place at one facility to compile and communicate readmission details to each physician, but it was manual, provided limited visit detail, and was done weeks or months following discharge. Methods: A new, realtime 72 hour readmission notification recently implemented within the Calgary Zone provides direct and automated email alerts to all emergency physicians and residents involved in the care of a patient that has been readmitted. This alert is sent within hours of a readmission occurring and contains meaningful visit detail (discharge diagnosis, readmit diagnosis, patient name, etc) to help support practice reflection. An average of 15 alerts per day are generated and have been sent since implementation in April, 2017. Although an old technology, the use of email is a central component of the solution because it allows physicians to receive notifications at home and outside the hospital network where they routinely perform administrative tasks. A secondary notification is sent to personal email accounts (Gmail, Hotmail, etc) to indicate an unplanned admission has occurred, but without visit detail or identifiable information. It also allowed implementation with no new hardware or software cost. Results: A simple thumbs up/down rating system is used to adjust the sensitivity of the alert over time. More than 66% of those providing feedback have indicated the alert is helpful for practice reflection (i.e., thumbs up). And of those that indicated it was not helpful, comments were often entered indicating satisfaction with the alert generally, or suggestions for improvement. For example, consulted admitting physicians are often responsible for discharge decisions and should be added as recipients of the alert. Conclusion: Many physicians have indicated appreciation in knowing about return patients, and that they will reflect on their care, further review the chart, or contact the admitting physician for further discussion. Most are accepting of some ‘expected’ or ‘false positive’ alerts that aren’t helpful for practice reflection. Further tuning and expansion of the alert to specialist and consult services is needed to ensure all physicians involved in a discharge decision are adequately notified.
P105: Transforming emergency stroke care through innovation: Canadas first stroke ambulance
Authors: Morrison L. , Amlani S. , Jeerakathil T. , Shuaib A. , Kalashyan H.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: A two-year Stroke Ambulance (SA) pilot project was implemented at the University of Alberta Hospital (UAH) in February, 2017, the first in the world to utilize this specialized technology in a rural setting. The primary objective is to evaluate clinical and economic implications of timely SA assessment and treatment of hyperacute stroke patients who present to non-stroke centres in rural Alberta and might otherwise have received delayed treatment, or not at all, due to prolonged transfer times. Methods: A steering committee and seven working groups were established, with representation from Alberta Health Services (AHS) programs impacted, to ensure comprehensive project development and implementation. The SA portable CT scanner, point of care laboratory, and videoconference system facilitate diagnosis of stroke in the field. The multidisciplinary team includes a stroke fellow, advanced & primary care paramedics, registered nurse, CT technologist, and telestroke physician. When not dispatched, the team provides stroke expertise and patient care in the emergency department (ED) and diagnostic imaging. The service model includes suspected stroke patients presenting to non-stroke centres within a 250 Km radius of Edmonton (Phase I); patients presenting to Edmonton Zone (EZ) hospitals without CT capability and/or tPA protocols (Phase 2); and expedited transport from EZ hospitals to the UAH for urgent endovascular therapy (EVT) (Phase 3). A health economic analysis will compare stroke ambulance care with standard care. Results: The SA has responded to 54 dispatches, 13 patients thrombolyzed and 3 patients receiving EVT. Median rendezvous to CT time was 10 minutes, median rendezvous to tPA time was 21 minutes, and mean time from symptom onset to tPA was 180 minutes. There were no complications. After SA imaging and assessment, 18 patients were repatriated back to their local community hospital, avoiding unnecessary admission to tertiary care. Conclusion: Our preliminary experience demonstrates that the SA offers a novel approach to performing timely evaluation and treatment of suspected stroke from non-stroke centres and may serve as an excellent triage mechanism, reducing avoidable admissions to overcapacity tertiary care EDs. The SA team provides added value to the ED with stroke expertise and patient care. A comprehensive health economic analysis will determine cost-effectiveness and whether spread is feasible.
P108: Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome within emergency department users in the Calgary health region: a retrospective analysis
Authors: Packer N. G. , McRae A. D. , Wang D.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is associated with long-term, regular use of marijuana. CHS patients typically present to emergency departments (ED) during a hyper-emetic phase of paroxysmal nausea and vomiting. Despite extensive investigations as well as frequent ED presentations, CHS patients have a delayed time to diagnosis, and many are often missed. To date, there is a paucity of research examining CHS in emergency departments. Our objective was to identify CHS cases presenting to EDs within the Calgary health region, and to quantify the number of patients and frequency of ED visits for CHS. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients who presented to any Calgary ED or urgent care center between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2016 (ages 18 55 years) who had an ED discharge diagnosis of either nausea or vomiting alone, nausea with vomiting, or poisoning by cannabis, as identified in administrative data. Data abstraction from medical records was performed by trained personnel using standardized forms with comprehensive inclusion criteria for CHS. Results: The search strategy yielded a total of 320 ED visits from 156 individual patients. 55% of visits were by males, and 45% by females. The average age was 29.5 years. Of the 156 patients, 53% had cannabis use documented in the chart, with 51% reporting daily and/or regular cannabis use. Relief of symptoms from use of hot showers (a pathognomonic finding) was found in 17% of patients. 18% of patients (n=28) met criteria for CHS, and 28% (n=44) met partial criteria for CHS (having documented regular cannabis use, cyclic vomiting and abdominal pain) but no record of symptom resolution with cessation of cannabis use or from the use of hot showers. Patients meeting CHS criteria had an average of five repeat ED visits during the study period with 16% (n=12) of ED visits resulting in hospital admission. Conclusion: We identified a large cohort of patients with confirmed or suspected CHS. Given that nearly one third of the sample met partial criteria for CHS highlights the need for improved patient screening, as it is possible that this cohort may include missed cases. Further, many CHS patients are not responsive to first-line anti-emetics and accurate diagnosis is crucial for managing these patients effectively in the ED. This is of particular importance given the admission rate for CHS and resulting burden on the health system.
P110: A prospective cohort study to evaluate sex differences in presentations and management for patients presenting to emergency departments with atrial fibrillation and flutter
Authors: Rowe B. H. , Patrick S. , Duke P. , Lobay K. , Haager M. , Deane B. , Villa-Roel C. , Nabipoor M.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation and flutter (AFF) represent the most common arrhythmia presentations to emergency departments (EDs). Some research suggests that women with AFF experience different symptoms, receive different treatment and have worse outcomes than men. This study explored sex differences in risk factors, medication, and outcomes before and after ED visits for acute AFF. Methods: Adult patients presenting to the one of three hospitals affiliated with the University of Alberta with acute AFF were enrolled. Following informed consent, each patient completed a survey administered by a trained researcher, administrative ED information (e.g., ED times) was collected from the ED information system, a chart review on treatments was conducted and patients were contacted for follow-up at 7 days via telephone. Descriptive (median and interquartile range {IQR} and proportions) and simple (Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney, chi-square, z-proportion) statistics are presented for continuous and dichotomous outcomes. Results: Overall, 217 patients were enrolled; the median age was 64 years (IQR: 55, 73) and 39% were female. Males presenting to the ED with AFF were 10 years younger than females (p<0.001); however, females weighed significantly less (median weight 69 vs. 95 kg; p<0.001), consumed less alcohol (12 vs 60 drinks/year; p<0.001) and were less likely to be ex-smokers (p=0.022) than men with AFF. Women arrived by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) (p=0.037), experienced palpitations (p=0.042), and reported a history of hypertension (p=0.022) more frequently than men. Females were more often prescribed oral anticoagulants before (p= 0.041) and after (p=0.011) the ED visit, and females with a history of AFF were less likely to present without anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy (p=0.015). Overall, both sexes had similar attempts at cardioversion (59.4% vs. 61.3%) and hospitalizations (12.5% vs. 8.6%), respectively. If initial chemical cardioversion failed, females were more likely to receive subsequent electrical cardioversion (60.0% vs. 26.7%, p=0.036) than men. Conclusion: Overall, both women and men present frequently to the ED with AFF. Compared to men with AFF, women present with symptoms 10 years later, have different risk factors, experience more severe symptoms and use EMS more commonly; however, outcomes were similar. Unexplained sex-based variations in-ED and post-ED management are evident and these differences warrant further scrutiny.
P111: Burnout among emergency physicians working at a large tertiary center in London, Ontario
Authors: Perera R. , Foxcroft L. , Van Aarsen K. , Columbus M. , Lim R. K.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: Emergency medicine (EM) is known to be a high-stress specialty. Work related stress and burnout have been reported to negatively impact physician-patient interactions, collaboration and ultimately overall physician mental and physical health. We sought to assess the rates of burnout among emergency physicians working at a single large Canadian tertiary care center and to identify higher risk groups. We hypothesized burnout rates to be uniformly high. Methods: We conducted a local cross-sectional study to assess burnout among adult and pediatric emergency physicians, fellows and residents at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). A total of 118 participants were invited to complete an anonymous online survey encompassing demographics, the validated MBI tool (Maslach Burnout Inventory) with additional questions aimed at identifying determinants of emergency physician burnout at LHSC. Each respondents three MBI scale scores for Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization and Personal Accomplishment were recorded with a possible range of 0-6. Descriptive statistics were calculated and relationships between risk factors (age, gender, years of practice, marital status, and credentials) and burnout scores were examined using t-tests, one-way ANOVAs, and/or regression analyses where appropriate. Results: To date the survey had a 50% (59/118) response rate. Of the 59 respondents 24 (40%) were female, the mean (SD) age was 40.6 years (10.5) and years of practice ranged from 1 to 35, with a mean of 13. Survey results indicated a high degree of burnout among LHSC EM physicians with a mean (SD) Emotional Exhaustion Score of 2.9 (1.3) and Depersonalization score of 2.4 (1.3), indicating that physicians felt burnt out from work between once a day to once a week. Inversely, the protective variable of Personal Accomplishment, with a score of 4.7 (0.9), indicated daily to weekly feelings of accomplishment. Female physicians (independent samples t-test, p=0.003) and those having fewer years of practice (linear regression, R2=0.188, p=0.04) were identified to have higher burnout. We did not identify any factors associated with Personal Accomplishment. Conclusion: Consistent with previous literature, LHSC emergency physicians were shown to be at risk for moderate to severe burnout. High risk groups identified included gender (female) and fewer years of practice. We did not identify any factors to be protective. Despite this, LHSC emergency physicians showed a high degree of personal accomplishment. While all physicians experience burnout, targeted interventions to newer female staff could have the highest benefit.