1. By Sam Gerson MD

2.  A researcher and physician, Samuel (Sam) Gerson, MD,
recently served as an attending physician in the emergency
department of the UC San Diego Medical Center. Dr. Sam
Gerson stays current in his field as a member of the
American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).
In a recent press release, ACEP reviewed the results of a
study published in JAMA Pediatrics, which found that
emergency departments around the nation can improve
their readiness to provide pediatric care by employing
pediatric emergency care coordinators. The study reported
that almost 50 percent of emergency departments
nationwide employ a nurse or physician who is responsible
for the policies, equipment, and training required for
effective emergency pediatric care.

3.  Compared to findings from a similar study in 2003,
there are now three times as many pediatric
emergency care coordinators working around the
country. Pediatric readiness in emergency
departments has also greatly improved, with the
study finding that national pediatric readiness score
increased from 55 to 70 (out of 100) since 2003.
According to the recent assessment, emergency
rooms can further improve their pediatric readiness
by developing disaster plans, securing all of the
recommended equipment, and overcoming obstacles
to guidelines implementation.