Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming health care and holds immense potential for various fields, including the medical field, but it also brings its share of concerns and issues. This article introduces AI and its core concepts, such as deep learning, machine learning, and large language models (LLMs). It also provides examples that were generated using ChatGPT to highlight the use of prompts and the limitations of LLMs in AI. AI is a powerful paradigm for scientific research, and it can and does reduce work effort and enhance results. However, is it the right tool for the selected task? In addition, no matter how powerful, AI is meant to complement humans and does not replace them.

Abstract Shoulder injuries can present a puzzling picture for physicians. It is important to understand how biases affect physicians when they are making decisions regarding shoulder surgery. This article discusses what can be considered “normal” for shoulder function, how to determine when surgery is and is not indicated, and what might delay return to work in workers' compensation cases.

Abstract The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus affects the mental health of many. Isolation, fear of infection, and social distancing may affect psychological functioning. Research continues to evolve and reveal the psychological symptoms reported by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and psychosis have been reported in the literature for COVID-19 patients. Potential preliminary treatment recommendations include various forms of psychotherapy, such as dialectical behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy. More research should be done regarding other additional treatment recommendations that may facilitate psychological healing in COVID-19 patients.

Abstract Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a controversial, ambiguous, and often unreliable concept that presents significant clinical and rating challenges, to the extent that, for any individual case, many of the differential diagnostic issues provide a far more probable explanation of symptoms than does CRPS. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) introduced CRPS in 1994 specifically to replace “reflex sympathetic dystrophy” [RSD] and “causalgia.” The IASP diagnostic protocol for assessing CRPS has led to overdiagnosis, as well as questions regarding the protocol's reliability, validity, and high error rate during field trials. Using the IASP protocol and the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides), Fifth Edition, the authors discuss the mental health and general medical evaluations that are part of the differential diagnosis of CRPS, which involves both psychological and general medical components. Finally, examiners should be aware that the probability rates for a diagnosis of CRPS following a thorough and extensive differential diagnosis is very small and is further limited by the general lack of scientific credibility for the concept of CRPS. A diagnosis of CRPS in the absence of ruling out all potential differentials is not credible. A sidebar discusses several chapters that are relevant to rating impairment due to causalgia, RSD, and CRPS.

Abstract Part II of this two-part series continues the discussion of diagnostic and treatment issues related to reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) and presents approaches to assessing pain and disability associated with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). CRPS encompasses CRPS Type I (RSD) and CRPS Type II (causalgia), but the approach of the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides), Fourth Edition is problematic. The current approach may not account for the complete impairment, and RSD/CRPS I by definition does not involve a specific peripheral nerve disorder. Causalgia/CRPS II by definition involves a specific peripheral nerve disorder, and the physician can assess impairment due to pain and sensory deficit or loss of power and motor deficits by multiplying the graded percent deficit with the maximum allowable impairment for the specific peripheral nerve. RSD/CRPS I by definition does not involve disruption of a peripheral nerve, but the criteria recommended by the AMA Guides may be difficult to use. The fourth edition of the AMA Guides advises that, in general, only one evaluation method should be used to evaluate a specific impairment, and a table specifies which tests should not be used together, those that may be used in combination, if appropriate, and those for which combination is not specified.