Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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Uncontrolled hemorrhage is a leading cause of preventable death in trauma. Tourniquets (TQs) are commonly used to control bleeding in the prehospital setting, although their application is associated with risks. Therefore, this study aimed to identify complications arising from TQ use and to examine contributing risk factors. ⋯ This study found that a significant trauma in prehospital settings requiring TQ application is associated with a high rate of complications. Early complications, including local infections and compartment syndrome, were more frequent, whereas late complications like thromboembolism and muscle atrophy were less common. The findings suggest that factors such as the MOI and wound contamination may contribute to these complications, yet after applying multivariate regression, LOS and falls were the only variables found to be significantly associated with the development of complications. These findings underscore the need for further research comparing casualties with and without TQ application.
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Diagnostic errors in health care pose significant risks to patient safety and are disturbingly common. In the emergency department (ED), the chaotic and high-pressure environment increases the likelihood of these errors, as emergency clinicians must make rapid decisions with limited information, often under cognitive overload. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers promising solutions to improve diagnostic errors in three key areas: information gathering, clinical decision support (CDS), and feedback through quality improvement. ⋯ Developing, validating, and implementing AI as a safe, human-centered ED tool requires thoughtful design and meticulous attention to ethical and practical considerations. Clinicians and patients must be integrated as key stakeholders across these processes. Ultimately, AI should be seen as a tool that assists clinicians by supporting better, faster decisions and thus enhances patient outcomes.