Managing Emergency Department Risk Through Communication and Documentation.

Overview

The job description of the emergency physician contains many responsibilities, including identifying and managing life-threatening illness, providing symptomatic relief, determining safe and efficient disposition, managing department flow, providing customer service, improving public health, and ensuring wise resource utilization. Emergency physicians must communicate effectively with patients, interdisciplinary clinical teams, and consultants, both orally and through the medical record. Excellence in clinical care as well as in communication and documentation is critical for managing risk in the emergency department.