Dogmalysis

Abstract

Air medical and critical care providers encounter the extremes of being both in-hospital and out-of-hospital clinicians, work in unpredictable environments, and treat patients with the most significant injury patterns and diagnoses. These demands highlight the need to recognize unique mental challenges for those who work in the air medical environment and the process by which providers make decisions. Patients who present with a high-acuity/low-volume pathology generate particularly difficult situations with abundant opportunity for both celebrations of performance and learning from mistakes. There are times when the desired option of therapy is not available, the most appropriate destination is not feasible, or the crew is unable to address every aspect of patient care with resources that are immediately available. Although it is logical to make decisions based on anatomic and physiological knowledge, the absence of an actual answer does not necessitate the acceptance of consensus. Dogmalysis refers to the dissolution of authoritative tenets held as established opinion without adequate grounds. This article highlights the importance of dogmalysis, the value of honest scientific reflection, and the aggressive seeking of evidence-based answers as it pertains to the air medical environment.