Em. Med. Annual Report 2011 - Hennepin County Medical Center

Rapid Anti-seizure
Medication Prior to Arrival
Trial (RAMPART). Jeff Ho,
an EM staff physician,
has monitored TASER
use by law enforcement
in our area and offers
scientifically sound
Robert Long, MD
recommendations for its
(1938-2005)
use. Drs. Ho, Hick and
Mahoney provide field supervision of HCMC
ambulance paramedics.
HCMC, including the ED, is on the cutting edge of
the digital documentation revolution. This has
been possible in the ED because both nursing and
physician staff have been led by leaders with
computing skills. Marsha Zimmerman, RN, and
Joseph Clinton, MD have patiently overcome the
difficulties associated with this huge challenge.
Other departments, especially Medical Imaging,
have also contributed.
The Crisis Intervention Center (CIC), now called
Acute Psychiatric Services (APS), had its
beginning in Minneapolis General Hospital in the
60's when a telephone on the ER nurse's desk
was dedicated to "suicide calls." In 1967 Zigfrids
Stelmachers (1928-2006), a Ph.D. Psychologist in
the Psychiatry Department, arranged for Mental
Health Center staff to relieve ER nursing staff of
this responsibility. In 1968 a small area adjacent to
the ER was added to allow face-to-face interviews
between mentally unstable or depressed patients
presenting to the ER and clinical psychologists.
This unit, under Stelmacher's direction, was the
first hospital based CIC in the country. In the 70's,
the role of the CIC was expanded to help in the
evaluation and disposition of patients being held in
"holding rooms" of the ED. Conversely, EM staff
helped CIC staff evaluate medical problems. This
cooperative arrangement continues between the
ED and APS.
HCMC's Poison Control Center (PCC) began in
the middle 70's when the numbers of calls about
possible or real poisoning and drug reactions
caused medical staff to be called away from
patient care. In 1974, Ruiz and Prose interviewed
applicants for a clerical position to assist. Alice
Lang (1914-2004) had no background in similar
services, but she was hired. She proved to be an
angel. She enthusiastically found ways to make
the service efficient and as helpful as possible.
She found ways to keep poison dangers before
the public. She sought expert advice from
botanists and authored a popular book on plant
poisoning. The UM College of Pharmacy saw the
new PCC as a good resource for pharmacy
graduates. Dr. Ed Krenzelok worked with Lang,
EM, and the College to make the PCC among the
best in the country. Enough trained staff were
brought on-board to provide 24 hour coverage. Dr.
Louis Ling, EM staff physician with an interest and
expertise in toxicology replaced Krenzelok when
he became Director of the Pittsburg Childrenʼs
Hospital Poison Center in 1984. The Poison Control
Center continues as a state-wide public treasure.
Hyperbaric Medicine came to HCGH in 1964.
Hitchcock had read articles written by Professor of
Surgery Ite Boerema at the University of
Amsterdam, Holland, regarding the successful
treatment of gas gangrene infections by
administering oxygen to afflicted patients in a high
pressure chamber. Gas gangrene results from
Clostridium infections. Clostridium bacteria are
anaerobes that cannot survive in tissue that is well
oxygenated. This form of infection had a very high
mortality rate and was not uncommon in post
surgical patients and in trauma patients. Hitchcock
used his genius for obtaining financial support to
Department of Emergency Medicine Activities Report | 2009-2010 | 11