When the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, access to safe reproductive care was restricted even for patients with wanted or non-viable pregnancies. This study describes trends in early pregnancy-related emergency department visits prior to the court decision and how new restrictions have resulted in physician uncertainty and delays in care in states with abortion bans. The authors recommend physicians be mindful of Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) when caring for pregnant individuals in the emergency department.

COVID-19 restrictions and patient concerns have expanded use of telehealth. This study found virtual urgent care services to be an effective strategy for patient care during the pandemic.  

This pre–post study examined the effect of a change in emergency department opioid prescribing guidelines in Ohio in 2012. The quantity of opioid prescriptions from emergency departments and the duration of opioid prescriptions declined. The authors attribute these declines to the more stringent prescribing guideline and advocate for spreading such policies to improve opioid safety.

The emergency department at New York University Langone Medical Center was destroyed during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Prior to beginning patient care in the newly constructed emergency department, staff participated in 15 in-situ simulation exercises, which helped identify more than 30 latent patient safety threats and reduce staff dissatisfaction.

The emergency interpretation of electrocardiograms in poisoned patients was frequently incorrect, increasing the potential for diagnostic error and incorrect management.