I use AI regularly, but not to replace the thinking, reading and writing that underpin my work. This post explains where AI fits into my workflow, where I deliberately keep it out, and what I have learned about using these tools without outsourcing the difficult work of thinking for myself.

Calling an ED or ambulance presentation ‘inappropriate’ sounds straightforward until we try to define one. This post examines the evidence behind low-acuity and GP-suitable presentations, why triage cannot determine who needs emergency care, the limited effect of primary care diversion, and what actually contributes to emergency department overcrowding.

Campaigns urging the public to save ambulances for emergencies sound sensible, but the evidence behind them is limited. If clinicians cannot agree on what constitutes an inappropriate call, can we expect the public to decide? More importantly, could these messages discourage people with genuine healthcare needs from seeking timely help?

IN BRIEF Out-dated terms like “near-drowning” and “secondary drowning” persist in both general discussion and clinical settings and we need to banish these once and for all. Alcohol remains a significant and preventable contributor to fatal drowning, particularly among young men. Rescue should begin from a position of safety: talk, reach and throw before entering the water. An untrained rescuer can quickly become a second patient.

IN BRIEF Being a paramedic is a privilege with great public trust “We’re given the honour of laying our hands […]

Independent commentary and analysis on paramedicine, health workforce, and health policy. Australasia and beyond. Est. 2015.

Paramedicine sits in an important, changing and sometimes difficult space. It is a relatively new profession and in Australia at least, a rapidly increasing and maturing discipline. As we see this …