Emergency Procedures

The Emergency Procedures App

A group of clinicians from Sydney, Australia have completed the second iteration of their FOAMed Emergency Procedures App – available for free on Apple, Android and YouTube channel. The initial interview and process behind the app is outlined here

The app is targeted at clinicians performing procedures within the emergency department. It is designed to help those training and as a memory aid for experienced clinicians. It is based on the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine (ACEM) syllabus, providing standardised recommendations for common emergency department procedures with the aim to reduce variation in practice and provide an evidenced-based methodology to assist providers to perform procedures safely and competently.

The App is the result of a collaboration from clinicians around the world, who have given their time for free to make something incredibly useful.

Interview with the lead authors

Today we are chatting with James W Miers FACEM, BMBS (Hons), BSc and John Mackenzue MBChB FACEM Dip MSM, the two lead authors of the Emergency Procedures App. James and John are both emergency medicine specialists at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney, Australia. John also has a sideline gig as a hyperbaric medicine consultant…

**Transcript of the ‘podcast’ interview, which has subsequently evaporated into the ether…For the sake of brevity, and in the absence of sound John = James and replies are in quotes.

What was your most important objective when designing the app?

To provide high quality, evidence based procedure guidelines and education for use at the bedside and freely available worldwide.

Is the website/app FOAMed?

Yes, its FOAM, it is free to use and always will be. We aim to have low to no barrier to entry for maximal dissemination and use.

Will this app help me pass my exams?

Yes, it will.

We will teach you to perform procedures well. We can stop you realising you have forgotten a scalpel only after you are scrubbed. We can give you the list of complications to discuss during consent. We will remind you where to place the needle in the middle of the night when you only have 2 minutes.

Why did you make the app?

Because we need a high-quality accessible procedures tool at the bedside.

Because you might need to do your first lateral canthotomy, when there’s no one to help…and when you do your 100th LP, but the first in 6 months, it’s still good to have help.

Also, maybe because we are a bit strange and enjoy using our spare time to do this stuff.

How do you make a guide and video?

We try to combine the best evidence with the best common sense. We review the evidence, the lack of evidence, the opinions and bring you something sensible and referenced that’s been signed off by experts you can trust.

Why do I need to sign up and give an email address?

It was tempting to put zero barriers in the way for use, with no sign up. But, knowing who you are encourages us and helps target improvements. We don’t want to hassle you.

Can I help?

Yes! You are our biggest and best review panel. Our goal is to become a free expert reference build by our community.

Tell us what you think or any suggestions to improve no matter how small. We reply to everything!

If you’re super enthusiastic you are welcome to join our regular review panels and help us make new content just email us directly

How did a pair of numpty physicians code an app?

We didn’t

But a huge thanks to Dr Malhar Soni who custom made this app for free. Malhar is a talented app engineer who changed track to become a doctor. He is still a prolific coder and is interest in exciting projects. Feel free to reach out and contact him directly if you are a kindred uber nerd…