Metro Pacific Health’s Post

The James Lind Alliance has identified one of its top priorities for stroke care as improving how the public, paramedics, and healthcare professionals recognise and respond to stroke or TIA more effectively and quickly. Notably, they highlighted a critical limitation of the FAST test: it does not capture all strokes. For over a year, my family and I have been advocating for an alternative—BE FAST, which adds Balance and Eyes to the traditional FAST test. BE FAST is already used successfully overseas, and its expanded criteria could help detect more strokes that FAST misses. So, why aren’t we trialling it here in Scotland? We already know FAST has its limitations. Let’s not settle when there’s a possibility of a better solution. A trial comparing BE FAST to FAST could provide the evidence we need to save more lives and improve outcomes. If we have the tools to do better, we must act. Let’s push for the trial and find out if BE FAST can make the difference we need in stroke detection. #StrokeAwareness #PublicHealth #BEFAST #InnovationInCare https://lnkd.in/en33T2FJ

🔍 Could this be the key to better emergency outcomes? Imagine a critical moment in the ER: a patient in cardiac arrest, time ticking away, and traditional IV access proving difficult. In these high-stakes situations, every second counts. The Arrow™ EZ-IO™ System by Teleflex steps in, transforming the emergency landscape. EZ-IO is designed to provide swift and effective intraosseous access for critical situations such as cardiac arrest, shock, and respiratory or neurological emergencies. Features & Benefits 🔹 Multiple Insertion Sites: Supports various sites for adult and pediatric patients. 🔹 Quick Access: Designed for rapid vascular access in emergencies. 🔹 Comprehensive Resources: Includes landmarking guides and instructional videos for proper use. 🔹 Portable Options: Available in code carts and carrying cases for easy accessibility. 🔹 Ease of Use: Simplifies vascular access in critical situations. Reliable intraosseous access in just four simple steps: 🔹 Identify: Determine the insertion site and select the appropriate EZ-IO™ Needle. 🔹 Landmark: Position the extremity, landmark the site, and disinfect it. 🔹 Access: Establish vascular access, remove the stylet, and apply the stabilizer dressing and extension set. 🔹 Deliver: Administer fluids and medications under pressure. When Seconds Count, Count on Arrow™ EZ-IO™ 👉 Needles and the EZ-Stabilizer are also available for individual purchase: https://lnkd.in/ebzTDdXh #EmergencyMedicine #IntraosseousAccess #MedicalEducation #HealthcareSolutions #LSInnoventa #EZIO

Dylan Moore will be joining the panel, “Hepatology Associates as Leaders in HCV Elimination Programs.” This Community Conversations session will dive into the vital roles of advanced practice providers, registered nurses, pharmacists, and other allied health professionals in HCV elimination efforts. Key objectives include: - Exploring how multidisciplinary models, led by hepatology associates, help overcome barriers to HCV treatment. - Discussing innovative strategies where nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and pharmacists take the lead in HCV care. Don’t miss this insightful discussion on advancing HCV elimination programs! Dylan Moore, Ann Moore, Anita Kohli, Richard Manch, Michelle Jones, Nick Engelke, Brennin Palfrey, Esther Fasanmi, Scott Springer, Paulina Deming, Dawn Drazek, Corrie Berk, DNP, MBA, Tessa Janovsky Naim Alkhouri, MD, FAASLD Yessica Sachdeva, Sonoran Prevention Works, Angie Coste Kelly Black

Every hospital follows an escalation process for unsuccessful venous access. The hospital will call an escalation team or a “sharpshooter” in another department for a very difficult stick but this escalation can increase costs and delay treatment. This study looked at the impact of vein visualization on escalation. Overall, there was a 45% reduction of escalations to their central IV team. In addition, they found an 81% improvement in the nurse’s ability to cannulate and a 93% success in 1-2 sticks.

I enjoyed reading this short yet straight to the point article published in BMJ this June. A subject I advocate for but find difficult to address, ethically, religiously, socially, and personally. It is truly remarkable the number of ways the modern ICU could push death away. In striving to extend life, we risk overshadowing the importance of a peaceful and dignified death. Dying patients in the ICU would spend weeks ultimately becoming unrecognizable, with bruised edematous skin, oozing from all the blood draws, with plastic tubes placed in more body areas than we can count. The physical transformations are heart-wrenching to witness. Families struggle to reconcile the person they knew with the frail, suffering individual before them. In such long term critically ill patients, I sometimes ask the family about their loved ones life before the illness, what they did for a living, how they spent their days, etc…in an effort to humanise the ICU experience as much as possible. The burden of these realities weighs heavily on me as a critical care physician. Each decision to continue aggressive treatment comes with the nagging question of whether we are truly serving the best interests of our patients. The healthcare system, which sometimes incentivises hospitals and physicians (fee-for-service), often leaves little room for discussions about quality of life and the natural process of dying. This creates an environment where patients linger in a state of suspended suffering, caught between life and death. The role of a critical care physician is a difficult and delicate balancing act between saving lives and acknowledging the limitations and potential harms of our interventions. The drive to use every available resource to prolong life must be tempered with compassion, ethical reflection, and a holistic understanding of what it means to provide true humanistic care (in contrast to mechanistic impersonal care). It is essential to advocate for a system that values not just the quantity of life, but its quality, ensuring that our patients can live—and die—with dignity. #palliative #criticalcare #icu #intensivecare

Great post from F. Perry Wilson on the many challenges of using inpatient mortality to judge hospital quality. In this piece, Dr. Wilson focuses on sepsis mortality in safety-net vs. non-safety-net settings, and summarizes a study showing the benefits of access to palliative care and importance of improving interoperability across the care continuum. Medscape, Yale School of Medicine, #QualityMeasures, #PatientSafety, #SafetyNet, #PalliativeCare, #HospiceCare, #Sepsis https://lnkd.in/gt-xsmgp

As a palliative care physician, I'm encouraged by the American Heart Association's recognition of palliative care's crucial role in improving the quality of life for heart disease patients. This acknowledgment marks a significant step towards more holistic patient care. The AHA's emphasis on combining palliative care with effective medication management, shared decision-making, and symptom management aligns perfectly with our field's core principles. It's heartening to see other specialties recognizing the value of our approach. To truly make a difference, we need: 1. Comprehensive interdisciplinary palliative care teams 2. Improved collaboration across specialties 3. Earlier integration of palliative care in heart disease treatment plans Dr. Andrew Esch's statement resonates deeply with me. Our communication skills are indeed a cornerstone of palliative care. By fostering better collaboration with cardiologists and primary care physicians, we can ensure optimal outcomes for our patients. As we move forward, it's crucial to: - Educate healthcare providers about the benefits of early palliative care referrals - Develop standardized protocols for integrating palliative care in cardiology - Advocate for policy changes to support broader access to palliative care services By working together, we can significantly enhance the quality of life for heart disease patients, addressing not just their physical symptoms, but also their emotional and spiritual needs. #PalliativeCare #HeartDisease #PatientCenteredCare #InterdisciplinaryCollaboration #QualityOfLife #CardiacPalliativeCare https://lnkd.in/grMvcSra

🚨 Fast FRIDAY FACT About Dysphagia 🚨 Did you know? Dysphagia is a leading cause of aspiration pneumonia, one of the most common infections in nursing home residents. Aspiration pneumonia is often preventable with early detection and the right interventions. Partnering with Patheous health for your onsite swallow studies like FEES (Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing) and MBSS (Modified Barium Swallow Studies) will help identify swallowing issues and empower care teams to take proactive steps. ✅ Why It Matters: Reduces the risk of aspiration pneumonia - potential hospitalization Improves patient outcomes Enhances quality of life for residents When it comes to protecting your residents from preventable complications, knowledge is power, and imaging is key. Let’s work together to prioritize safety and deliver the care your patients deserve.

Is Cardiac Arrest Really “Sudden”? How Paramedics in the IMPACC Model are Shaping Preventive Care The term sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) has always struck me as somewhat of a misnomer. While it’s true that cardiac arrest often appears abruptly, it’s rarely as “sudden” as it seems. In many cases, cardiac arrest is the final stage in a long, gradual progression of underlying health issues — such as heart disease or undetected arrhythmias — that, if left untreated, can silently worsen over time. This perspective highlights a critical priority in healthcare: the importance of preventive care and early detection. Paramedics, especially within the Improving Patient Access to Care in the Community (IMPACC) model, are in a unique position to drive this mission forward. Often the first healthcare professionals to connect with patients who may not regularly seek medical attention, paramedics have a front-line view of emerging health issues within our communities. Through the IMPACC model, paramedics are equipped not only to respond to emergencies but also to assess, educate, and connect patients to further care — right in their own communities. Imagine a healthcare system where every paramedic encounter could be an opportunity for preventive intervention, patient education, and linkage to appropriate follow-up care. With the IMPACC model, paramedics play an essential role in improving access to timely, proactive healthcare, helping prevent emergencies by identifying risks before they reach a critical stage. This model transforms paramedics into proactive partners in community health, bridging gaps in care and reducing the strain on emergency departments. As we continue expanding and integrating models like IMPACC, let’s remember the powerful impact of empowering paramedics to deliver preventive care at the community level. Together, we can build a healthcare system where every patient encounter is a step toward better health outcomes and a healthier community. #PreventiveCare #IMPACC #Paramedicine #HealthcareInnovation #SuddenCardiacArrest #CommunityHealth #PatientAccess

Maryland’s legislature is showing its support for hospital expansion projects with a $2 million investment in the Kennedy Krieger Institute. This is part of a larger plan to develop the institute over several years, with this investment focused on expanding care for patients with traumatic injuries or life-threatening illnesses. More on these projects from The Daily Record: https://ow.ly/4HVg50UrSYg