Addressing errors in emergency medicine

Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM), the peer-reviewed journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM), has published its March issue dedicated to the topic of errors in emergency care, with a strong emphasis on diagnostic error.

This special issue, supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), brings together leading scholars and clinicians to discuss aspects of errors relevant to emergency care and propose actionable solutions. 

Following the landmark 2015 National Academies report, "Improving Diagnosis in Healthcare," national awareness of diagnostic errors has increased significantly. Errors-ranging from missed, incorrect, or delayed diagnoses-are recognized as universal issues across all medical specialties, with emergency medicine being particularly vulnerable due to its high-pressure, resource-limited environment. 

This special issue of AEM features a comprehensive examination of many of these challenges, publishing 10 original reports, three special contributions, one systematic review, two research letters, four commentaries, and one reflection. Topics are organized according to themes, such as the role of cognitive processing in doctors and nurses, flawed communication, potential errors of omission, specific conditions, and a special contribution on the potential role of artificial intelligence to reduce error.

According to AEM Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey A. Kline, MD, the contributions to this special issue offer valuable insights, with a key takeaway: the need to move beyond blame and individual fault.

Instead, we must recognize errors as complex, often arising from a convergence of factors-including gaps in knowledge and communication, inadequate awareness, and various system-based challenges."

Jeffrey A. Kline, MD, AEM Editor-in-Chief, Academic Emergency Medicine

The AEM special issue was made possible through the leadership of Dr. Kline and the commitment and expertise of its guest editors: Richard T. Griffey, MD; Brandon C. Maughan, MD, MHS, MSHP; and Margaret E. Samuels-Kalow, MD, MPhil, MSHP. Their guidance, along with the contributions of top researchers in the field, has resulted in an issue that aims to help move the specialty of emergency care forward in a positive manner.