BE CAREFUL OF CHIEF COMPLAINTS:Apr 30, 2010

Hospital Security Officer Killed By ED Patient:Aug 11, 2008 A hospital security guard, Monte Ruby,  died from injuries sustained  Saturday when an ED patient in police custody attacked him.

L.A. Hospital Settles Skid Row Dumping Case:Jun 3, 2008

EMTALA Violation One Of The Last Nails In Hospital's Coffin:Aug 11, 2007 The ED closed Friday night at King-Harbor Hospital in Los Angeles -- and this one-time Trauma Center and Medical School that once boasted more than 400 hospital beds will close in two
weeks according to the latest news reports. By Stephen A. Frew JD, Publisher.

Diversion is NOT an ER Issue:May 21, 2007 In the April Edition of Academic Emergency Medicine, a study compared the results of doubling the size of the emergency department on diversion and delay. By Stephen A. Frew JD.

Delay In Appendectomies Raises EMTALA and Medical Risk:Jan 22, 2007 While the study concedes the length of delay is often caused by the failure of the patient to seek care, it argues that in-hospital avoidable delays for standard surgery cannot be justified and emergency surgery is indicated. By Stephen A. Frew JD.

Philadelphia Area Hospitals Sue CMS Over ED Visit Rule:Jan 22, 2007 New regs slash reimbursements for Medicaid coverage. By Stephen A. Frew JD.

ED Killer Gets Death Sentence:Dec 4, 2006 A gunman who killed one police officer and wounded a police officer and emergency department technician should be sentenced to death according to the verdict of a Pennsylvania jury.

Hospital discharge instructions for mild brain injury faulty:Dec 4, 2006 In a study published in a recent issue of Brain Injury, researchers at the University at Buffalo found that discharge sheets from 14 of 15 hospitals that were reviewed lacked at least one important sign of a possible hemorrhage.

Wisconsin Nurse Sentenced For Sexual Assault of ED Patient:Nov 20, 2006 A Wisconsin nurse was sentenced to 8 years in prison for sexually assaulting and exposing himself to a patient in the emergency department in June of this year.

$100.1 Million Malpractice Award May Go To Charity:Nov 9, 2006 More than $100 million in punitive damages award last month in a record $217 million Florida malpractice verdict will go to charities helping patients with spinal cord and brain damages, according to an announcement of from the plaintiff's family and attorneys for the plaintiff, according to reports from the Brevard Lawyer blog. By Stephen A. Frew JD.

Death of Patient In Waiting Area Ruled Homocide:Sep 15, 2006 It is quite obvious that the Coroner's jury went way out of their way to send a message on ED delays and indifference to patient care to this hospital and all hospitals. It appears that the public is saying that ED delays are going to come back to bite hospitals. By Stephen A. Frew JD.

Institute of Medicine Report on Emergency Medicine:Jul 1, 2006 Recommendations for saving national EMS and Emergency Department services from impending collapse.

Misidentification Of Dead Girl Shows Need For Better Procedures:Jun 6, 2006 One family buried their daughter, but she turned out to be alive. A second family kept a vigil over their daughter, who was actually laying in another person's grave. One can only imagine the sheer agony each family went through only to discover the truth weeks later. By Stephen A. Frew JD.

ED Physician Wins $200,000 Retaliation Claim Against Kaiser:Jun 6, 2006 A Los Angeles County jury awarded an Emergency Physician $200,000 in damages against healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente on Friday, June 3, 2006, on findings that Kaiser retaliated against the doctor