Tales from the Front Line: Where's the AI when you need it?

“He was alright at the beginning, but then he took a turn for the worse,” she says.

“So, what got worse,” I say.

Well, all of a sudden, he became lethargic, his breathing was quicker and more laboured, and he just looked unwell….He just wasn’t himself.”   

Did he have a “fever”, I say.

Yes, she replies.

“Did you have a thermometer?” I asked. 

“Yes, his temperature was just above 39C,” she responds.

The child needs to be seen; the risk of a serious infection increases with every response. 

“I’d like your child to be seen face to face if that's alright,” I say  

“That would be great,” she replies.

I can sense the anxiety waning; however, there are no urgent care appointments for 4 hours, and I want the child to be seen within the hour. 

There's a bewildering array of places to send people: emergency medical units, ambulatory assessment units, and numerous employees, including advanced nurse practitioners, paramedics, district nurses, and physician assistants in urgent care. There’s a hospital at …