In this chapter of Always on EM, Dr. Lacey Shiue, Associate Director of Emergency Ultrasound for Mayo Clinic Emergency Medicine in Rochester, challenges us to recognize the morbidity and mortality associated with rib fractures and to rethink the way we consider pain management for people suffering these injuries. CONTACTS X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch; @Lacey.Shiue Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com
Dr. Jim Gregoire, consultant nephrologist and master educator, joins the show again to talk about electrolytes this time. He breaks down practicalities in caring for patients with sodium, magnesium, and phosphorus disorders - who is at risk, what history and exam findings to look for, what testing to do and how to correct the problems. Join Alex and Venk as they learn the nuances of care for these conditions that we see every single shift. CONTACTS X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com
In this chapter, Dr. Schupbach analyzes the business of healthcare and a way he believes can let patients wage war on the mis-alligned incentives. This is a continuation of our Grand Rounds sequence. Come join Alex and Venk on this adventure! TEASER Specifically, childhood obesity is skyrocketing--1 in 5 children are now above the 95th percentile BMI for age and sex. A recent NEJM article showed Liraglutide (a medication that costs approximately $12,000 per year) was effective in children as young as 6 years old. This is just one example of many where cheap foods, expensive drugs, and band-aid solutions are generating record profits for the most powerful voices at the table. But are we truly acting in the best interests of our patients? What are the unintended consequences of these misaligned incentives? What is our responsibility in all this and where do we start if we want to be part of the solution?
Dr. Harish Kinni, a triple-board-certified emergency medicine and critical care physician and assistant professor at the Mayo Clinic, provides an overview of the fundamentals of ventilator care for emergency department professionals. We will review key modes that we should know, the variables to set, how to adjust them for your patient’s needs, and provide troubleshooting tips and tricks for when things suddenly go awry. This is sure to be one of the most helpful chapters of Always on EM, but don’t let it take your breath away! CONTACTS X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com REFERENCES & LINKS Swart P, Nijbroek SGLH, Paulus F, Neto AS, Schultz MJ. Sex Differences in Use of Low Tidal Volume Ventilation in COVID-19-Insights From the PRoVENT-COVID Study. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 Jan 3;8:780005. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.780005. PMID: 35300177; PMCID: PMC8923734. McNicholas BA, Madotto F, Pham T, Rezoagli E, Masterson CH, Horie S, Bellani G, Brochard L, Laffey JG; LUNG SAFE Investigators and the ESICM Trials Group. Demographics, management and outcome of females and males with acute respiratory distress syndrome in the LUNG SAFE prospective cohort study. Eur Respir J. 2019 Oct 17;54(4):1900609. doi: 10.1183/13993003.00609-2019. PMID: 31346004. Swart P, Deliberato RO, Johnson AEW, Pollard TJ, Bulgarelli L, Pelosi P, de Abreu MG, Schultz MJ, Neto AS. Impact of sex on use of low tidal volume ventilation in invasively ventilated ICU patients-A mediation analysis using two observational cohorts. PLoS One. 2021 Jul 14;16(7):e0253933. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253933. PMID: 34260619; PMCID: PMC8279424. Evans, Laura1; Rhodes, Andrew2; Alhazzani, Waleed3; Antonelli, Massimo4; Coopersmith, Craig M.5; French, Craig6; Machado, Flávia R.7; Mcintyre, Lauralyn8; Ostermann, Marlies9; Prescott, Hallie C.10; Schorr, Christa11; Simpson, Steven12; Wiersinga, W. Joost13; Alshamsi, Fayez14; Angus, Derek C.15; Arabi, Yaseen16; Azevedo, Luciano17; Beale, Richard18; Beilman, Gregory19; Belley-Cote, Emilie20; Burry, Lisa21; Cecconi, Maurizio22; Centofanti, John23; Coz Yataco, Angel24; De Waele, Jan25; Dellinger, R. Phillip26; Doi, Kent27; Du, Bin28; Estenssoro, Elisa29; Ferrer, Ricard30; Gomersall, Charles31; Hodgson, Carol32; Hylander Møller, Morten33; Iwashyna, Theodore34; Jacob, Shevin35; Kleinpell, Ruth36; Klompas, Michael37; Koh, Younsuck38; Kumar, Anand39; Kwizera, Arthur40; Lobo, Suzana41; Masur, Henry42; McGloughlin, Steven43; Mehta, Sangeeta44; Mehta, Yatin45; Mer, Mervyn46; Nunnally, Mark47; Oczkowski, Simon48; Osborn, Tiffany49; Papathanassoglou, Elizabeth50; Perner, Anders51; Puskarich, Michael52; Roberts, Jason53; Schweickert, William54; Seckel, Maureen55; Sevransky, Jonathan56; Sprung, Charles L.57; Welte, Tobias58; Zimmerman, Janice59; Levy, Mitchell60. Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2021. Critical Care Medicine 49(11):p e1063-e1143, November 2021. | DOI: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000005337 Fan E, Del Sorbo L, Goligher EC, Hodgson CL, Munshi L, Walkey AJ, Adhikari NKJ, Amato MBP, Branson R, Brower RG, Ferguson ND, Gajic O, Gattinoni L, Hess D, Mancebo J, Meade MO, McAuley DF, Pesenti A, Ranieri VM, Rubenfeld GD, Rubin E, Seckel M, Slutsky AS, Talmor D, Thompson BT, Wunsch H, Uleryk E, Brozek J, Brochard LJ; American Thoracic Society, European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, and Society of Critical Care Medicine. An Official American Thoracic Society/European Society of Intensive Care Medicine/Society of Critical Care Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline: Mechanical Ventilation in Adult Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2017 May 1;195(9):1253-1263. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201703-0548ST. Erratum in: Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2017 Jun 1;195(11):1540. doi: 10.1164/rccm.19511erratum. PMID: 28459336. Alhazzani W, Møller MH, Arabi YM, Loeb M, Gong MN, Fan E, Oczkowski S, Levy MM, Derde L, Dzierba A, Du B, Aboodi M, Wunsch H, Cecconi M, Koh Y, Chertow DS, Maitland K, Alshamsi F, Belley-Cote E, Greco M, Laundy M, Morgan JS, Kesecioglu J, McGeer A, Mermel L, Mammen MJ, Alexander PE, Arrington A, Centofanti JE, Citerio G, Baw B, Memish ZA, Hammond N, Hayden FG, Evans L, Rhodes A. Surviving Sepsis Campaign: Guidelines on the Management of Critically Ill Adults with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Crit Care Med. 2020 Jun;48(6):e440-e469. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000004363. PMID: 32224769; PMCID: PMC7176264. Wang W, Scharfstein D, Wang C, Daniels C, Needham D, Brower R, NHLBI ARDS Clinical Network. Estimating the Causal Effect of Low Tidal Volume Ventilation on Survival in Patients with Acute Lung Injury. J R Stat Soc Ser C Appl Stat. 2011. PMC: PMC3197806 Brower RG, Thompson BT, NIH/NHLBI/ARDSNetwork. Tidal volumes in acute respiratory distress syndrome--one size does not fit all. Crit Care Med. 2006. Hager DN, Krishman JA, Hayden D, Brower RG, ARDSNet NIH / NHLBI. Tidal Volume Reduction in Patients with acute Lung Injury When Plateau Pressures Are Not High. Am J Resp Crit Care Med. 2005. Rubenfeld GD, Cooper C, Carter G, Thompson BT, Hudson LD. Barriers to providing lung protective ventilation to patients with acute lung injury. Crit Care Med. 2004. Chatburn RL, El-Khatib M, Mireles-Cabodevila E. A taxonomy for mechanical ventilation: 10 fundamental maxims. Respir Care. 2014 Nov;59(11):1747-63. doi: 10.4187/respcare.03057. Epub 2014 Aug 12. PMID: 25118309. Guo L, Wang W, Zhao N, Guo L, Chi C, Hou W, Wu A, Tong H, Wang Y, Wang C, Li E. Mechanical ventilation strategies for intensive care unit patients without acute lung injury or acute respiratory distress syndrome: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Crit Care. 2016 Jul 22;20(1):226. doi: 10.1186/s13054-016-1396-0. PMID: 27448995; PMCID: PMC4957383. Rice TW, Wheeler AP, Bernard GR, Hayden DL, Schoenfeld DA, Ware LB, NIH NHLBI ARDS Network. Comparison of the Sp02/FI02 Ratio and the PaO 2/FI02 in Patients with Acute Lung Injury or ARDS. Chest. 2007. Zhang G, Burla MJ, Caesar BB, Falank CR, Kyros P, Zucco VC, Strumilowska A, Cullinane DC, Sheppard FR. Emergency Department SpO2/FiO2 Ratios Correlate with Mechanical Ventilation and Intensive Care Unit Requirements in COVID-19 Patients. West J Emerg Med. 2024 May;25(3):325-331. doi: 10.5811/westjem.17975. PMID: 38801037; PMCID: PMC11112664. WANT TO WORK AT MAYO? EM Physicians: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/emergencymedicine EM NP PAs: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/em-nppa-jobs Nursing/Techs/PAC: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/Nursing-Emergency-Medicine EMTs/Paramedics: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/ambulanceservice All groups above combined into one link: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/EM-Jobs
This is a capstone presentation from Chief Resident of Mayo Clinic Emergency Medicine, Dr. Taylor Christian. Teaser: Can we fulfill our oath to “do no harm” if we ignore the harm of racial injustice in medicine? Understanding the historical roots and persistent impact of medical racism isn’t just informative; it is a call to action. This presentation is an opportunity to learn, reflect, and act to become better advocates. CONTACTS X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda; @TayMChristian YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch; @drtaylormonet Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com REFERENCES & LINKS Meisel ZF, Shofer FS, Dolan AR, Goldberg E, Cannuscio CC, Rhodes KV, Perrone J, Hess EP, Rogers M, Bellamkonda V, Bell J, Zyla M, Becker L, McCollum S, Schapira M. Comparing Three Ways to Help Patients with Acute Pain Learn about Opioid Risks — The Life STORRIED Study [Internet]. Washington (DC): Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI); 2021 Oct. PMID: 39383261. Engel-Rebitzer E, Dolan AR, Aronowitz SV, Shofer FS, Nguemeni Tiako MJ, Schapira MM, Perrone J, Hess EP, Rhodes KV, Bellamkonda VR, Cannuscio CC, Goldberg E, Bell J, Rodgers MA, Zyla M, Becker LB, McCollum S, Meisel ZF. Patient Preference and Risk Assessment in Opioid Prescribing Disparities: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Jul 1;4(7):e2118801. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.18801. PMID: 34323984; PMCID: PMC8322998. Racic M, Roche-Miranda MI, Fatahi G. Twelve tips for implementing and teaching anti-racism curriculum in medical education. Med Teach. 2023 Aug;45(8):816-821. doi: 10.1080/0142159X.2023.2206534. Epub 2023 May 3. PMID: 37134226. Sahai A, Corley AMS, Lipps L, Lawton R, DeBlasio D, Klein M. A Locally-Focused Structural Racism Curriculum for Pediatric Primary Care Residents. Acad Pediatr. 2023 Nov-Dec;23(8):1510-1512. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2023.06.012. Epub 2023 Jun 9. PMID: 37302703. Carrera D, Tejeda C, Kakani P, Napolitano J. Addressing Racism in Medical Education: A Longitudinal Antiracism Discussion Curriculum for Medical Students. Med Sci Educ. 2023 Apr 28;33(3):639-643. doi: 10.1007/s40670-023-01788-x. PMID: 37501797; PMCID: PMC10368613. Seegmiller Renner AM, Gross JR, Laughlin-Tommaso SK. Paving a Path to Inclusion, Diversity, Anti-Racism, and Equity: A Curriculum Roadmap. Mayo Clin Proc. 2023 Dec;98(12):1755-1762. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2023.08.026. PMID: 38043992.
Is it possible that the cutting edge therapy for alcohol withdrawal care is one of the older tools in our bag? Possibly! In this chapter, one of the rising stars, Dr. Brandy Hernandez, Emergency Pharmacist, discusses the case for phenobarbital for helping patients for with their acute alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Find out when it may be preferable, what we don’t know yet, what the pitfalls are, and more!
In this grand rounds, Dr. Daniel Fiterman Molinari challenges the status quo of cardiac arrest care with thought provoking takes on the literature. Take a listen to his Capstone presentation and find yourself pondering whether you agree or disagree, and whether you need to go revisit the literature yourself. You may find your own heart skips a beat in this great episode.
Diarrhea is one of the more common concerns in emergency medicine worldwide and in the United States, yet we often do not spend enough time understanding the breadth of causes and considerations for this syndrome. Do you know which patients benefit from Zinc? Would you like to review HUS? Can you mixup Oral Rehydration Solution if you needed to? We cover all of this and more in this “code brown” of a chapter! So come, get dirty with Alex and Venk in this truly crappy chapter of Always on EM! CONTACTS X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com REFERENCES & LINKS Shane AL, Mody RK, Crump JA, Tarr PI, Steiner TS, Kotloff K, Langley JM, Wanke C, Warren CA, Cheng AC, Cantey J, Pickering LK. 2017 Infectious Diseases Society of America Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Infectious Diarrhea. Clin Infect Dis. 2017 Nov 29;65(12):e45-e80. doi: 10.1093/cid/cix669. PMID: 29053792; PMCID: PMC5850553. Gore JI, Surawicz C. Severe acute diarrhea. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2003 Dec;32(4):1249-67. doi: 10.1016/s0889-8553(03)00100-6. PMID: 14696306; PMCID: PMC7127018. Freedman SB, van de Kar NCAJ, Tarr PI. Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli and the Hemolytic–Uremic Syndrome. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2023;389(15):1402-1414. doi:10.1056/NEJMra2108739. Logan C, Beadsworth MB, Beeching NJ. HIV and diarrhoea: what is new? Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2016 Oct;29(5):486-94. doi: 10.1097/QCO.0000000000000305. PMID: 27472290. Chassany O, Michaux A, Bergmann JF. Drug-induced diarrhoea. Drug Saf. 2000 Jan;22(1):53-72. doi: 10.2165/00002018-200022010-00005. PMID: 10647976. Schiller LR. Secretory diarrhea. Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 1999 Oct;1(5):389-97. doi: 10.1007/s11894-999-0020-8. PMID: 10980977. Gong Z, Wang Y. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Mediated Diarrhea and Colitis: A Clinical Review. JCO Oncol Pract. 2020 Aug;16(8):453-461. doi: 10.1200/OP.20.00002. Epub 2020 Jun 25. PMID: 32584703. Do C, Evans GJ, DeAguero J, Escobar GP, Lin HC, Wagner B. Dysnatremia in Gastrointestinal Disorders. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 May 13;9:892265. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.892265. PMID: 35646996; PMCID: PMC9136014. Expert Panel on Gastrointestinal Imaging; Chang KJ, Marin D, Kim DH, Fowler KJ, Camacho MA, Cash BD, Garcia EM, Hatten BW, Kambadakone AR, Levy AD, Liu PS, Moreno C, Peterson CM, Pietryga JA, Siegel A, Weinstein S, Carucci LR. ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Suspected Small-Bowel Obstruction. J Am Coll Radiol. 2020 May;17(5S):S305-S314. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2020.01.025. PMID: 32370974. Rami Reddy SR, Cappell MS. A Systematic Review of the Clinical Presentation, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Small Bowel Obstruction. Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2017 Jun;19(6):28. doi: 10.1007/s11894-017-0566-9. PMID: 28439845. Modahl L, Digumarthy SR, Rhea JT, Conn AK, Saini S, Lee SI. Emergency department abdominal computed tomography for nontraumatic abdominal pain: optimizing utilization. J Am Coll Radiol. 2006 Nov;3(11):860-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2006.05.011. PMID: 17412185. Scheirey CD, Fowler KJ, Therrien JA, et al. ACR Appropriateness Criteria Acute Nonlocalized Abdominal Pain. Journal of the American College of Radiology : JACR. 2018;15(11S):S217-S231. doi:10.1016/j.jacr.2018.09.010. Atia AN, Buchman AL. Oral rehydration solutions in non-cholera diarrhea: a review. Am J Gastroenterol. 2009 Oct;104(10):2596-604; quiz 2605. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2009.329. Epub 2009 Jun 23. PMID: 19550407. Musekiwa A, Volmink J. Oral rehydration salt solution for treating cholera: ≤ 270 mOsm/L solutions vs ≥ 310 mOsm/L solutions. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Dec 7;2011(12):CD003754. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003754.pub3. PMID: 22161381; PMCID: PMC6532622. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Scombroid fish poisoning associated with tuna steaks--Louisiana and Tennessee, 2006. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2007 Aug 17;56(32):817-9. PMID: 17703171. Résière D, Florentin J, Mehdaoui H, Mahi Z, Gueye P, Hommel D, Pujo J, NKontcho F, Portecop P, Nevière R, Kallel H, Mégarbane B. Clinical Characteristics of Ciguatera Poisoning in Martinique, French West Indies-A Case Series. Toxins (Basel). 2022 Aug 3;14(8):535. doi: 10.3390/toxins14080535. PMID: 36006197; PMCID: PMC9415704. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Ciguatera fish poisoning--Texas, 1998, and South Carolina, 2004. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2006 Sep 1;55(34):935-7. PMID: 16943762. Thyroid Inferno EM Blog: https://emblog.mayo.edu/2014/11/01/thyroid-inferno/ Lazzerini M, Wanzira H. Oral zinc for treating diarrhoea in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016 Dec 20;12(12):CD005436. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD005436.pub5. PMID: 27996088; PMCID: PMC5450879. Dhingra U, Kisenge R, Sudfeld CR, Dhingra P, Somji S, Dutta A, Bakari M, Deb S, Devi P, Liu E, Chauhan A, Kumar J, Semwal OP, Aboud S, Bahl R, Ashorn P, Simon J, Duggan CP, Sazawal S, Manji K. Lower-Dose Zinc for Childhood Diarrhea - A Randomized, Multicenter Trial. N Engl J Med. 2020 Sep 24;383(13):1231-1241. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1915905. PMID: 32966722; PMCID: PMC7466932. Dalfa RA, El Aish KIA, El Raai M, El Gazaly N, Shatat A. Oral zinc supplementation for children with acute diarrhoea: a quasi-experimental study. Lancet. 2018 Feb 21;391 Suppl 2:S36. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30402-1. Epub 2018 Feb 21. PMID: 29553435. WANT TO WORK AT MAYO? EM Physicians: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/emergencymedicine EM NP PAs: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/em-nppa-jobs Nursing/Techs/PAC: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/Nursing-Emergency-Medicine EMTs/Paramedics: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/ambulanceservice All groups above combined into one link: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/EM-Jobs
The rapid evolution of digital health is transforming emergency care, but how do we design and implement technologies that truly meet patient needs? This session will explore the landscape of digital health tools and unpack how user-centered design ensures their effectiveness. Using a phased approach to development, Dr. Lauren Chernick from Columbia emergency medicine will discuss key strategies for integrating technology into engaging mobile health interventions. She will also share insights from three real-world sexual health interventions designed for adolescents in the ED—highlighting both successes and challenges. Join us for a discussion on digital health in emergency medicine and its potential to enhance patient care. CONTACTS X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com
Alex and Venk discuss the fundamental differences of caring for people during an in-flight emergency: what changes with oxygen and pressure, what is available to you, what are the expectations, and more. Both have been teaching about this scenario to others and have been present for several such encounters. They bring their expertise and the available literature to establish this level-setting chapter of the Always on EM Podcast. By the end of this, hopefully, you'll have zero hesitation standing with confidence that you can provide assistance in any event that arises and be as well prepared as anyone to do it. So, buckle up, put your seatbacks up, stow your laptops, and tune in to this high-flying chapter of Always on EM! CONTACTS X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com REFERENCES & LINKS Kim Y, Bae SC, Song YS. Exploring the potential of telehealth in-flight medical emergencies. Digit Health. 2025 Mar 13;11:20552076251326666. doi: 10.1177/20552076251326666. PMID: 40093698; PMCID: PMC11907535. Hawati SM, Binobaid F, Alsaeigh A, Alameer W, Al Ajmi AM, Alghamdi MK, Alqarni AA, Al-Harthi SN, Almelaifi A, Al Shehri AA. Assessing Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, and ICU Doctors' Knowledge, Confidence, and Attitude in Managing In-Flight Medical Emergencies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study. Cureus. 2025 Feb 1;17(2):e78359. doi: 10.7759/cureus.78359. PMID: 40046350; PMCID: PMC11880637. Hu JS, Smith JK. In-flight Medical Emergencies. Am Fam Physician. 2021 May 1;103(9):547-552. PMID: 33929167. Martin-Gill C, Doyle TJ, Yealy DM. In-Flight Medical Emergencies: A Review. JAMA. 2018 Dec 25;320(24):2580-2590. doi: 10.1001/jama.2018.19842. PMID: 30575886.
In this Grand Rounds chapter, Dr. Alex Ginsburg, board certified in both emergency medicine and palliative care, and physician leader practicing in both specialties at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota discusses a pragmatic way to incorporate palliative care into a busy and complicated emergency medicine practice. Beginning with why this is important and highlighting the challenges and barriers to making this happen, Dr. Ginsburg then proceeds to talk through approaches that are patient-centric while simultaneously feasible for a busy emergency physician. He will call out specific patients and scenarios that would benefit from consulting palliative care if possible and then cover optimal practices in how to clarify the goals of care of your patient. Tune in for this incredibly important Mayo Clinic Emergency Medicine Grand Rounds! CONTACTS X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com
The variety of practice models in the United States emergency healthcare system is numerous and most of them involve both physicians as well as advanced practice providers (physician assistants and nurse practitioners). Yet, the preparation for how to supervise an APP from a physician perspective, or what to expect from a physician colleague from the APP perspective is not standardized. In this chapter, we sit down with Dr. Eric Boie who is the current medical director for the APP practice at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, as well as Mr. Jeff Wood, PA-C who has been the supervisor of the APPs both in our health system as well in Rochester for nearly a decade until just recently - to discuss our current model of practice, how it supports resident education, how to support APPs autonomy and optimize patient care, how to handle when things don't go as planned and more. CONTACTS X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com RELATED READING Clark A, Amanti C, Sheng AY. Supervision of Advanced Practice Providers. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2020 May;38(2):353-361. doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2020.02.007. PMID: 32336330. Rainer R, Bambach K. Navigating Supervision of Advanced Practice Providers. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2025 Feb;43(1):131-138. doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2024.05.030. Epub 2024 Aug 1. PMID: 39515936. Lowery B, Scott E, Swanson M. Nurse practitioner perceptions of the impact of physician oversight on quality and safety of nurse practitioner practice. J Am Assoc Nurse Pract. 2016 Aug;28(8):436-45. doi: 10.1002/2327-6924.12336. Epub 2015 Dec 29. PMID: 26712306. Haslam-Larmer L, Krassikova A, Wojtowicz E, Vellani S, Feldman S, Katz P, Robert B, Heer C, Martin-Misener R, May K, McGilton KS. Nurse Practitioner and Physician Collaboration in the Long-Term Care Setting: Secondary Analysis of a Scoping Review. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2025 Feb;26(2):105418. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2024.105418. Epub 2024 Dec 27. PMID: 39701552. McGilton KS, Haslam-Larmer L, Wills A, Krassikova A, Babineau J, Robert B, Heer C, McAiney C, Dobell G, Bethell J, Kay K, Keatings M, Kaasalainen S, Feldman S, Sidani S, Martin-Misener R. Nurse practitioner/physician collaborative models of care: a scoping review protocol. BMC Geriatr. 2023 Feb 16;23(1):98. doi: 10.1186/s12877-023-03798-1. PMID: 36797669; PMCID: PMC9934505. Guidelines Regarding the Role of Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners in the Emergency Department. American College of Emergency Physicians Policy Statement Approved June 2023.
Legendary emergency medicine educator, Dr. Brit Long, gave grand rounds in Rochester in a highly interactive experience covering high risk, yet low frequency conditions that we need to watch for on shift. He uses an engaging style filled with cases to drill home key points related to these conditions. Enjoy this Valentine's Day chapter of Always on EM-Grand Rounds for a fun and engaging reminder of what our specialty is all about! CONTACTS X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda; @Long_Brit YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com
Dr. Henry Schiller, Professor of Surgery, Liutenant Colonel in the US Army Reserve, and Mayo Clinic Teaching Hall of Fame inductee rejoins the show to talk about gallbladders. We review the distinction between the evaluation and management of cholelithiasis, choledocolithiasis, the role of different imaging modalities, and much more in this awesome chapter of the show - dont miss this! CONTACTS X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com REFERENCES & LINKS & ADDITIONAL READING Childs DD, Lalwani N, Craven T, Arif H, Morgan M, Anderson M, Fulcher A. A meta-analysis of the performance of ultrasound, hepatobiliary scintigraphy, CT and MRI in the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. Abdom Radiol (NY). 2024 Feb;49(2):384-398. doi: 10.1007/s00261-023-04059-w. Epub 2023 Nov 20. PMID: 37982832. de Oliveira GS, Torri GB, Gandolfi FE, Dias AB, Tse JR, Francisco MZ, Hochhegger B, Altmayer S. Computed tomography versus ultrasound for the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Radiol. 2024 Nov;34(11):6967-6979. doi: 10.1007/s00330-024-10783-8. Epub 2024 May 17. PMID: 38758253.
Dr. Lekshmi Kumar, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Emory University / Grady Hospital system in Atlanta, Georgia and the EMS director or the city of Atlanta presents grand rounds to kick off the 2025 calendar year! She talks about their collaborative work to create a prehospital blood transfusion program to uplift the trauma care in their region. Tune in to learn about the method for handling the change, the specifics for implementation and to learn the difference that this is making for their patients. CONTACTS X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com
Dr. Trina Augustin, assistant professor of both anesthesiology and perioperative medicine as well as emergency medicine takes us on a deep dive into the care of persons with aortic stenosis. In this chapter, Alex and Venk learn about how to use ultrasound to diagnose AS, the keys to resuscitation, the pathophysiology of this condition, as well as the value of consultative services and the potential interventions that they may unlock for these patients. Kickoff season 4 with this in depth reminder that sometimes the heart has many hidden perils beyond ACS. CONTACTS X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch; @KatrinaJoyAugustin Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com REFERENCES & LINKS Lichtenstein DA, Meziere GA. Relevance of Lung Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Acute Respiratory Failure. Chest 2008; 134:117-125 Walsh MH, Smyth LM, Desy JR, Fischer EA, Goffi A, Li N, Lee M, St-Pierre J, Ma IWY. Lung Ultrasound: A Comparison of image interpretation accuracy between curvillinear and phased array transducers. Australia J Ultrasound Med, 26:150-156 Alzahrani H, Woo MY, Johnson C, Pageau P, Millington S, Thiruganasambandamoorthy V. Can severe aortic stenosis be identified by emergency physicians when interpreting a simplified two-view echocardiogram obtained by trained echocardiographers? Crit Ultrasound J. 2015 Apr 18;7:5. doi: 10.1186/s13089-015-0022-8. PMID: 25932319; PMCID: PMC4409610. Furukawa A, Abe Y, Morizane A, Miyaji T, Hosogi S, Ito H. Simple echocardiographic scoring in screening aortic stenosis with focused cardiac ultrasonography in the emergency department. J Cardiol. 2021 Jun;77(6):613-619. doi: 10.1016/j.jjcc.2020.12.006. Epub 2020 Dec 29. PMID: 33386216. Lin J, Drapkin J, Likourezos A, Giakoumatos E, Schachter M, Sarkis JP, Moskovits M, Haines L, Dickman E. Emergency physician bedside echocardiographic identification of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. American Journal of Emergency medicine Ehrman RR, Russell FM, Ansari AH, Margeta B, Clary JM, Christian E, Cosby KS, Bailitz J. Can emergency physicians diagnose and correctly classify diastolic dysfunction using bedside echocardiography? Am J Emerg Med. 2015 Sep;33(9):1178-83. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.013. Epub 2015 May 21. PMID: 26058890.2021;44:20-25 Del Rios M, Colla J, Kotini-Shah P, Briller J, Gerber B, Prendergast H. Emergency physician use of tissue Doppler bedside echocardiography in detecting diastolic dysfunction: an exploratory study. Crit Ultrasound J. 2018 Jan 25;10(1):4. doi: 10.1186/s13089-018-0084-5. PMID: 29372430; PMCID: PMC5785451. Thiele H, Zeymer U, Neumann FJ, Ferenc M, Olbrich HG, Hausleiter J, de Waha A, Richardt G, Hennersdorf M, Empen K, Fuernau G, Desch S, Eitel I, Hambrecht R, Lauer B, Böhm M, Ebelt H, Schneider S, Werdan K, Schuler G; Intraaortic Balloon Pump in cardiogenic shock II (IABP-SHOCK II) trial investigators. Intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation in acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (IABP-SHOCK II): final 12 month results of a randomised, open-label trial. Lancet. 2013 Nov 16;382(9905):1638-45. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61783-3. Epub 2013 Sep 3. PMID: 24011548. Aksoy O, Yousefzai R, Singh D, Agarwal S, O'Brien B, Griffin BP, Kapadia SR, Tuzcu ME, Penn MS, Nissen SE, Menon V. Cardiogenic shock in the setting of severe aortic stenosis: role of intra-aortic balloon pump support. Heart. 2011 May;97(10):838-43. doi: 10.1136/hrt.2010.206367. Epub 2010 Oct 20. PMID: 20962337. Karatolios K, Chatzis G, Luesebrink U, Markus B, Ahrens H, Tousoulis D, Schieffer B. Impella support following emergency percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis and cardiogenic shock. Hellenic J Cardiol. 2019 May-Jun;60(3):178-181. doi: 10.1016/j.hjc.2018.02.008. Epub 2018 Mar 21. PMID: 29571667. Gottlieb M, Long B, Koyfman A. Evaluation and Management of Aortic Stenosis for the Emergency Clinician: An Evidence-Based Review of the Literature. J Emerg Med. 2018 Jul;55(1):34-41. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2018.01.026. Epub 2018 Mar 7. PMID: 29525246.
In this final episode of the third season of the Always on EM podcast, we share a grand rounds recording of Dr. Adiba Matin, former resident at Mayo Clinic giving her senior capstone presentation on climate change and emergency medicine. In this visionary presentation, she projects physiologic consequences of the climate change on human health, as well as discusses adaptations for clinical practices, highlights how environmental change might impact social determinants of health, and touches on ways to become advocates for climate protective practices. Close out the new year with the hottest presentation in the grand rounds offerings so far!
Dr. David Turay, trauma consultant physician at Mayo Clinic, sits down with Alex and Venk to talk about appendicitis! Have you wondered about ultrasound vs CT imaging? antibiotics only vs operative care? what labs to order? we will go over it in this chapter of Always on EM! CONTACTS X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com REFERENCES & LINKS 2013 British Journal of Surgery - C-W Yu, Systematic reivew and meta-analysis of the diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, and white blood cell count for suspected acute appendicitis
Dr. Mark Mannenbach, emeritus pediatric emergency physician, former chairperson of pediatric emergency medicine at Mayo Clinic and career long advocate for children comes back on the show to talk through nonaccidental trauma in children in a two part series. In this second part, we talk through mimics of abuse, second victim syndrome related to caring for children of abuse, some aspects of neglect, and more. CONTACTS x- @AlwaysonEM; @VenkBellamkonda YouTube - @AlwaysonEM; @VenkBellamkonda Instagram - @AlwaysonEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch Email - AlwaysonEM@gmail.com REFERENCES 1. Sugar NF, Taylor JA, Feldman KW. Bruises in infants and toddlers: those who don't cruise rarely bruise. Puget Sound Pediatric Research Network. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1999 Apr; 153(4):399-403
Dr. Mark Mannenbach, emeritus pediatric emergency physician, former chairperson of pediatric emergency medicine at Mayo Clinic and career long advocate for children comes back on the show to talk through nonaccidental trauma in children in a two part series. In this first part, we talk through the approach to sharing the concern that you have with the family, keys to the physical examination, the role of additional testing such as serum, urine, and radiograph. CONTACTS x- @AlwaysonEM; @VenkBellamkonda YouTube - @AlwaysonEM; @VenkBellamkonda Instagram - @AlwaysonEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch Email - AlwaysonEM@gmail.com