Case of the Month: July 2026

This month’s show starts with what might be a familiar story to you. How does a consultant’s refusal to accept a patient impact the rest of your shift? The case: A 33-year-old man presents with hand pain; his second digit is diffusely swollen, held in flexion, with tenderness along the flexor sheath and pain with extension. When orthopedics was consulted, due to concern for flexor tenosynovitis, they refused to see the patient. There is an art to working with consultants and navigating difficult interactions so that you can advocate for your patients and help provide the specialty care they need, which is key to your overall job satisfaction. Swami and Jan dive into the inter-colleague relationships that are so important to the work we do. Share your stories of positive interactions and tools you use in the comments below. This Week on EM:RAP: Case of the Week: Consultant Communication Strategies Risk Management: A Decade-Long Reflection on Malpractice, Documentation, and Risk Mitigation Strategies Pediatric Pearls: Pediatric Fingertip Injuries Crit Bits: Sepsis EMA Paperclips - June Papers 1-4 ✔ Subscribe today: https://www.emrap.org/subscribe ✔ Newsletter sign up: https://www.emrap.org/newsletter ✔ Donate to our non-profit, EM:RAP Global Outreach: https://www.emrapgo.org/ EM:RAP on Social Media: ► Follow on Twitter:   / emrap_tweets   ► Like on Facebook:   / emergencymedicine   ► Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emrapshow/?... ► Subscribe on YouTube:    / emrapmedical   Visit https://www.emrap.org/ for all your Emergency Medicine education! #consultants #emergencymedicine #MedEd #communication #emrap #orthopedics