Author Affiliation Karl Chamberlin, MD, MBA University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Emergency Medicine, Worcester, Massachusetts; UMass Memorial Health, Department of Emergency Medicine, Worcester, Massachusetts   November 29, 2023 Dear Editor: We appreciate the feedback and commentary on our recently published study. First, we would like to acknowledge the limitations of having a single reviewer […] The post Reply to “Factors Associated with Overutilization of Computed Tomography Cervical Spine Imaging” appeared first on The Western Journal of Emergency Medicine ..read more

Author Affiliation Tessy La Torre Torres, DO ChristianaCare Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Newark, Delaware Jonathan McGhee, DO ChristianaCare Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Newark, Delaware   Dear Editor: We are writing to provide some comments on the scientific paper recently published in your journal titled “Factors Associated with Overutilization of Computed Tomography of the […] The post Factors Associated with Overutilization of Computed Tomography Cervical Spine Imaging appeared first on The Western Journal of Emergency Medicine ..read more

Colleen Cowdery, MD Despite the prevalence of sexual assault presentations to emergency departments (ED) in the United States, current access to sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE) and emergency contraception (EC) in EDs is unknown. The post User Experience of Access to Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner and Emergency Contraception in Emergency Departments in the United States: A National Survey appeared first on The Western Journal of Emergency Medicine ..read more

Daniel Hercz, MD Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) performed by emergency physicians (EP) has emerged as an effective alternative to radiology department ultrasounds for the diagnosis of lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Systematic reviews suggested good sensitivity and specificity overall for EP-performed POCUS for DVT diagnosis, yet high levels of heterogeneity were reported. The post Ultrasound Performed by Emergency Physicians for Deep Vein Thrombosis: A Systematic Review appeared first on The Western Journal of Emergency Medicine ..read more

Chanel Fischetti, MD Space travel has transformed in the past several years. Given the burgeoning market for space tourism, in-flight medical emergencies are likely to be expected. Ultrasound is one of the few diagnostic and therapeutic modalities available for astronauts in space. However, while point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is available, there is no current standard of training for astronaut preparation. We suggest an organized and structured methodology by which astronauts should best prepare for space with the medical equipment available on board. As technology continues to evolve, the ..read more

Ryan C. Gibbons, MD Numerous studies have demonstrated the accuracy of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Portable, handheld devices have expanded the clinical scope of POCUS at a fraction of the cost of traditional, cart-based models. There is a paucity of data assessing the diagnostic accuracy of portable devices. Our objective in this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of a portable device with a cart-based model. The post Diagnostic Accuracy of a Handheld Ultrasound vs a Cart-based Model: A Randomized Clinical Trial appeared first on The Western Journal of Emergency Medicine ..read more

Jessica R. Balderston, MD The use of a reliable scoring system for quality assessment (QA) is imperative to limit inconsistencies in measuring ultrasound acquisition skills. The current grading scale used for QA endorsed by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is non-specific, applies irrespective of the type of study performed, and has not been rigorously validated. Our goal in this study was to determine whether a succinct, organ-specific grading scale designed for lung-specific QA would be more precise with better interobserver agreement. The post Novel Scoring Scale for Qual ..read more

Jeffrey N. Love, MD, MHPE, MSc Despite the importance of peer review to publications, there is no generally accepted approach for editorial evaluation of a peer review’s value to a journal editor’s decision-making. The graduate medical education editors of the Western Journal of Emergency Medicine Special Issue in Educational Research & Practice (Special Issue) developed and studied the holistic editor’s scoring rubric (HESR) with the objective of assessing the quality of a review and an emphasis on the degree to which it informs a holistic appreciation for the submission under considerati ..read more

Lori Pandya, MD Pediatric patients account for 6–10% of emergency medical services (EMS) activations in the United States. Approximately 30% of these children are not transported to an emergency department (ED). Adult data in the literature reports higher hospitalization and complications following non-transport. Few studies discuss epidemiology and characteristics of pediatric non-transport; however, data on outcome is limited. Our primary aim was to determine outcomes of non-transported children within our urban EMS system before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our secondary objective was ..read more

Kaileen Jafari, MD Most pediatric emergency care occurs in general emergency departments (GED), where less pediatric experience and lower pediatric emergency readiness may compromise care. Medically vulnerable pediatric patients, such as those with chronic, severe, neurologic conditions, are likely to be disproportionately affected by suboptimal care in GEDs; however, little is known about characteristics of their care in either the general or pediatric emergency setting. In this study our objective was to compare the frequency, characteristics, and outcomes of ED visits made by children with ..read more