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Diagnostic Testing in Emergency Medicine
Book Reviews
The Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine Diane M Birnbaumer, MD Diagnostic Testing in Emergency Medicine
The Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine, ed 2 Harwood-Nuss AL (ed) Lippincott-Raven, 1996 1,709 pages
Christopher MB Fernandes, MD Copyright © by the Am~:rtcan College of Emergency Medicine.
In every specialty, just a handful of textbooks become the core references for that specialty.
The Clinical Practice of EmergencyMedicine is such a textbook for the field of emergency medicine. This hardbound book is well organized, nicely indexed, and easy to use. Although it is a multiauthor text, it is well edited and the style from chapter to chapter is consistent. The line drawings are clear and uncluttered and emphasize the points made in the text. Radiographs are reproduced clearly, as are most of the blackand-white photographs. The major strength of this book is the easily readable, concise chapters, rarely more than several pages long. These chapters provide a succinct, rapid reference for virtually any problem that may present to an ED. Although it is not used in every appropriate chapter, some chapters contain a useful discussion of the role of the consultant and the indications for admission and discharge. Most of the chapters end with a valuable section on common pitfalls, listed in bullet form. Although this book is outstanding, no text is perfect, Quite a few of the references are more than a decade old, and some black-and-white photographs are not reproduced clearly. The main drawback of the text is that, because it is meant to be a comprehensive text for rapid reference, answers to some in-depth questions that may come up in the practice of emergency medicine are not be found in the book. in addition, procedures such as wound closure, splint-
SEPTEMBER 1997
30:3
ANNALS OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE
ing, wound dressing, and invasive procedures are not described or illustrated in the book. Specific information about the techniques for these procedures must be found in another text. The second edition of The ClinicalPractice of EmergencyMedicine should occupy prime shelf space in the library of any emergency physician. It is the quick reference for that "letme-just-check-to-be-sure" patient care situation. ]t is also an excellent book for medical students in their emergency rotations and a must-read textbook for residents during their training.
Diane M Birnbaumer, MD Department of EmergencyMedicine Harbor-UCLA Medical Center University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
II
Diagnostic Testing in Emergency Medicine Wolfson AB, Paris PM (eds) Saunders, 1996 1326pages There are many reasons to order tests in the ED, including the obvious need to arrive at a diagnosis. However, tests are also ordered to "be more complete," to prevent a lawsuit, or to "do everything at once." Thus the pocketsized Diagnostic Testing in EmergencyMedicine would certainly seem to have arrived at an opportune time because it is intended to provide information about ED diagnostic testing "already established by careful investigation," to provide "a background of factual information," and to serve "as a bedside reference." The authors include several well-re-
36 1
The Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine Diane M Birnbaumer, MD Diagnostic Testing in Emergency Medicine
The Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine, ed 2 Harwood-Nuss AL (ed) Lippincott-Raven, 1996 1,709 pages
Christopher MB Fernandes, MD Copyright © by the Am~:rtcan College of Emergency Medicine.
In every specialty, just a handful of textbooks become the core references for that specialty.
The Clinical Practice of EmergencyMedicine is such a textbook for the field of emergency medicine. This hardbound book is well organized, nicely indexed, and easy to use. Although it is a multiauthor text, it is well edited and the style from chapter to chapter is consistent. The line drawings are clear and uncluttered and emphasize the points made in the text. Radiographs are reproduced clearly, as are most of the blackand-white photographs. The major strength of this book is the easily readable, concise chapters, rarely more than several pages long. These chapters provide a succinct, rapid reference for virtually any problem that may present to an ED. Although it is not used in every appropriate chapter, some chapters contain a useful discussion of the role of the consultant and the indications for admission and discharge. Most of the chapters end with a valuable section on common pitfalls, listed in bullet form. Although this book is outstanding, no text is perfect, Quite a few of the references are more than a decade old, and some black-and-white photographs are not reproduced clearly. The main drawback of the text is that, because it is meant to be a comprehensive text for rapid reference, answers to some in-depth questions that may come up in the practice of emergency medicine are not be found in the book. in addition, procedures such as wound closure, splint-
SEPTEMBER 1997
30:3
ANNALS OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE
ing, wound dressing, and invasive procedures are not described or illustrated in the book. Specific information about the techniques for these procedures must be found in another text. The second edition of The ClinicalPractice of EmergencyMedicine should occupy prime shelf space in the library of any emergency physician. It is the quick reference for that "letme-just-check-to-be-sure" patient care situation. ]t is also an excellent book for medical students in their emergency rotations and a must-read textbook for residents during their training.
Diane M Birnbaumer, MD Department of EmergencyMedicine Harbor-UCLA Medical Center University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
II
Diagnostic Testing in Emergency Medicine Wolfson AB, Paris PM (eds) Saunders, 1996 1326pages There are many reasons to order tests in the ED, including the obvious need to arrive at a diagnosis. However, tests are also ordered to "be more complete," to prevent a lawsuit, or to "do everything at once." Thus the pocketsized Diagnostic Testing in EmergencyMedicine would certainly seem to have arrived at an opportune time because it is intended to provide information about ED diagnostic testing "already established by careful investigation," to provide "a background of factual information," and to serve "as a bedside reference." The authors include several well-re-
36 1