keeping up a high suspicion index .......

[JACEK1]

Hello everybody!

One of the challenges of being an emergency healthcare provider is keeping up a high suspicion index with patients who present with a complaint that has, many times before, proven to be non life-threatening.

In my opinion, the underlined fragment means "continuing to be positively suspicious of the condition of patients even if they report a comlaint that has proven to be non life-threatening so far" or "refusing to be complacent about such a complaint but digging deeper into the condition of patients because you smell a rat regarding such a condition and want to check their condition carefully on a case by case basis".

Do you confirm?

https://www.everydayhealth.com/colu...is-head-injury-critical-paramedic-saves-life/

 

[probus]

By and large, I agree with your interpretation. Reading the full piece in detail it becomes clear that the behaviour of the injured woman suggested that her head injury was not inconsequential as it might have appeared initially.

 

[JACEK1]

I like the phrase "keeping up a high suspicion index".

 

[Tarheel]

I wouldn't use "smell a rat" as it suggests the patient was faking it. (This patient was definitely not faking it.)