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January 2025 Case Study – Abdominal Pain

  ABDOMINAL PAIN HPI:  This is a 67-year-old female who presents to the ER at 06:15 complaining of nausea, vomiting, sweating, a feeling of general malaise, and dizziness. She was brought in by family. The patient states she was awakened from sleep at approximately 03:45 with a feeling of bilateral upper quadrant abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. She has sweating with the vomiting. She has had multiple episodes of vomiting and began to feel dizzy starting approximately 30 to 45 minutes prior to arrival. She states she feels weak all over and just doesn’t feel “right.” She denies any new or restaurant foods in the past 48 hours. She denies eating any “left-overs” in the past 48 hours. She was unable to take her morning medications due to her inability to keep anything down. She denies any bloody or dark vomit or stools. She denies anyone else in the household being ill. COVID immunizations are up to date. ROS:  She denies any, fever, chills, change in her vision, diplopia, change in hearing, ear pain, rhinorrhea, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, chest pain, shortness of breath (except with vomiting), abnormal heart beat, physical difficulty breathing, abdominal distention, dysuria, hematuria, incontinence of urine or stool, retention of urine or stool, back pain, muscle pain, focal weakness, focal numbness, environmental or food allergies. DRUG ALLERGIES: COMPAZINE, PENICILLIN, BACTRIM. MEDS: Glyburide/Metformin 5mg/500mg, 2 tablets, P.O., BID Reglan 10mg, P.O., QID PRN Amlodipine 5mg, P.O, Q Day Omeprazole 20mg, P.O., Q Day PMHX: Hypertension Diabetes Mellitus, Type II, diet and medication controlled. Gastroparesis GERD GALLSTONES DYSFUNCTIONAL UTERINE BLEEDING LEFT WRIST FRACTURE – Age 8 PSHX: CHOLECYSTECTOMY – three months ago VAGINAL HYSTERECTOMY – Age 57 Ovaries still In-Situ ORIF – Left Wrist Age 8 SOCIAL HX: Tobacco – Never Alcohol – One glass of wine per…

In the News

ERx physician team members, Dr. Josh Minyard and Dr. Naile Barzaga were featured in The Mariposa Gazette this November. Dr.Minyard leads our emergency medicine team at John C Fremont Hospital in Mariposa, CA. Dr.Barzaga is an integral part of our hospitalist team at JCFH. The Mariposa Gazette is California’s oldest weekly newspaper of continuous publication. They cover news in Mariposa County, CA.

90 critical access hospital CEOs to know in 2024

ERx Clinical Partners would like to congratulate Hank Hanigan, the CEO of Whitman Hospital and Medical Center in Colfax, WA for being selected as one of Becker’s “Hospital Review’s” 90 critical access hospital CEOs to know in 2024. Becker’s based its selection on executives that were highly skilled in expanding service lines, recruiting and retaining providers, and forming partnerships, all of which contribute to their hospitals’ essential roles within their communities. Additionally, these CEOs prioritize high-quality care, patient safety, and financial stability, while also bringing vital services, top physicians, and collaborative relationships with larger healthcare systems to their organizations. Link to the full article: “Becker’s 90 to Know”.  

Meet Our Team – Jamey Pritchard

We are thrilled to welcome Jamey Pritchard as the new Chief Operating Officer at ERx Clinical Partners. With over 15 years of experience in the critical access ER staffing industry, Jamey has a proven track record in physician recruiting and operations management. Jamey is a U.S. Air Force veteran who has served in various leadership roles as an Operations Manager. Over the last 15 years, he has worked in the critical access staffing industry in roles ranging from Physician Recruiting to Sr. Director of Physician Recruiting, and most recently as the owner and CEO of a physician staffing company. At ERx Clinical Partners, he will be responsible for overseeing all operations including recruiting, scheduling, credentialing, and fostering relationships with our hospital partners. We are confident that Jamey’s expertise, leadership, and passion for providing outstanding providers for rural communities will greatly benefit ERx and our partners. Please join us in welcoming Jamey to our team!

Case-Based Learning, June 2024

81-year-old female presented to the emergency department with complaints of generalized body aches and increasing illness over the past week. She reported fever, nausea, vomiting, and anorexia at home for the previous 8 days. She stated that because of the decreased appetite and nausea with vomiting, she has lost 15 pounds in the past week and a half. She also noted that she has a history of gallstones. On initial examination, she is afebrile. She does not meet SIRS criteria. Blood pressure is 116/73. She had tenderness in the right upper quadrant with palpation. She was administered hydromorphone 0.5 mg IV per pain protocol and morphine 4 mg IV per pain protocol. Workup included CBC, CMP, lactic acid, CRP, sed rate, urinalysis, and nasopharyngeal PCR 4 plex swab. She had both a limited right upper quadrant ultrasound and a CT angiography of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis during her evaluation in the emergency department. White blood cell count was 16.7 with left shift. ESR 94. Sodium 131. Alkaline phosphatase 317. AST 92. A LT 415. Lactic acid 1.3. CRP 36.8. 4 plex swab is negative for COVID-19, influenza, and RSV. Urinalysis with small bilirubin, otherwise normal. Ultrasound demonstrated gallbladder distention with gallbladder wall thickening and cholelithiasis. There also appeared to be an oval shaped structure in the gallbladder lumen that probably represented tumefactive sludge. The overall appearance was concerning for cholecystitis although it is reported that a sonographic Murphy sign was absent per TeleRadia report. CT chest, abdomen, and pelvis demonstrated central lobular emphysema. Cholelithiasis was noted and the gallbladder wall thickness was measured as much as 9 mm. Findings were reported consistent with cholecystitis per TeleRadia report. General surgery was consulted. At the time of the general surgeon’s examination, patient had received IV pain medication and was feeling better…

Meet our team – Tim Cogar

Tim Cogar is the newest addition to our administrative team in Knoxville, TN. He will be working as our Controller. Tim has over 10 years working in finance and accounting. His expertise will bring consistency and efficiency to our finance ecosystem to improve our payroll and clients’ services. Tim is originally from Beckly, WV. His bachelor’s degree is from Marshall University, which gained fame from the 2006 movie “We are Marshall”. After college, he served in the US Army and was deployed to Iraq in 2004 for an 18-month tour. Tim has also earned a master’s from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Tim can be reached at 865.777.1300 Ext. 307 and tcogar@erxgroup.net.

May Case-based Learning – IV Contrast for Trauma

66 y.o. otherwise healthy female presented to the emergency room in full spinal precautions after being involved in a high speed MVA. Patient was a restrained driver with a prolonged extrication. On arrival to the ED, patient was anxious, but conscious and complained of right-side chest pain, right lower extremity, and left wrist pain. Key findings on EXAM: GCS: 14/15, VS: 102/54, 110, 18, 96% on non-rebreather. HEENT: Negative except dried blood right forehead with small abrasion and surrounding 5 cm hematoma. PERRL EOMI. Neck: in collar, no tracheal deviation, no crepitus, neck tender along right paraspinal region. HEART: RRR No murmurs, rubs, gallops, no carotid bruits, no JVD; radial, dorsal pedal, post tibialis pulses 1+ bilaterally. Lung: Shallow rapid breath, no wheezes, no crackles Chest: Bruising over right upper chest. No crepitus. No deformity. ABD: bruising over lower abd consistent with a seat beat sign. Diffusely tender. Non distended. Back: No step offs, no focal tenderness T/L spine. No bruising Pelvis: stable, no pubic or iliac spine tenderness. UE: obvious closed left wrist fracture. LE: Bruised swollen right anterior lateral thigh; tender to palpation midshaft Neuro: GCS: 14/15 secondary to confusion, sensation intact both distal UE/LE Psych: confused anxious Skin: pale, no rashes, cap refill at 2 seconds. ORDERS: Non contrast CT: Head, c-spine, and abdomen/pelvis; left wrist XR, right femur XR, Chest XR, CBC, CMP, PT, PTT, Urinalysis, ETOH, UTOX, Lactic Acid. Cardiac Monitor, two large bore peripheral IVs and lactated ringers. Initial findings: Right Femoral shaft fracture, Left Colles fracture, Scalp hematoma right frontal bone, right anterior rib fractures (6 & 7th), HCT 31, Lactic Acid 3.2, UA 10 RBC HPF. CT abd/pelvis did not identify a cause for patients’ abdominal pain and provider called the transfer center to discuss the case with the surgeon on call…

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