Emergency department

Doctors help people who are hurt or sick.

They work in a special place. This place is often in a hospital. It is open all day and all night.

People arrive by car or in an ambulance. A nurse looks at them first. This helps the doctors know who needs help most.

Some people need help right away. They go to a special room. This room has tools for very sick people.

Other people can wait a little bit. They might go to a different area. The doctors help everyone feel better.

An emergency department is a special place in a hospital.

People go there when they are sick or hurt. They might arrive by car or in an ambulance. Most departments stay open 24 hours every day.

When a patient arrives, they go through a step called triage. Triage is a way to sort patients by how sick they are. A triage nurse checks things like vital signs. This helps the staff decide who needs help first. Some very sick people skip this step. They go straight to the resuscitation area. This area is for people with life-threatening needs. It has special staff and tools to help them fast.

Other patients go to different areas. Some go to acute care for serious problems. They might get blood tests or scans. Others go to a minor care area. This is for smaller problems like a broken bone. Some hospitals even have special areas for children. They may use a play therapist to help kids feel calm.

An emergency department is a vital part of a hospital.

It is a place that specializes in emergency medicine. This means they care for people who arrive without an appointment. Patients might come by themselves or in an ambulance. These departments must be ready for all kinds of illnesses and injuries. Some of these problems can be life-threatening and need fast help. Because people arrive at any time, most departments stay open 24 hours a day.

When a patient arrives, they go through a process called triage. Triage is a way to sort patients by how much help they need. A triage nurse often performs a quick assessment first. They check vital signs and ask about the chief complaint. This is the main reason the person is seeking care. For example, a patient might report chest pain or difficulty breathing. Some patients go straight to the resuscitation area if they are very sick.

This area, also called "Resus," has special staff and equipment for life-threatening cases.

People have been providing accident services for a long time. In the late mid-nineteenth century, companies and towns in Europe and the United States provided care. The first specialized trauma care center opened in 1911. This center was at the University of Louisville Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. Later, in the 1930s, a surgeon named Arnold Griswold helped develop these services. He even put medical supplies in police and fire vehicles. He also trained officers to give emergency care while they drove to the hospital.

Emergency departments use different areas for different needs. Patients with serious but stable problems go to acute care. In this area, doctors might use CT or MRI scanning to help. They may also perform tests on blood or urine. Patients with smaller problems go to a "minors" or prompt care area. This is where people get help for things like broken bones or cuts. Some hospitals even have special areas just for children. They might use a play therapist to help kids feel less worried.

Many things connect the emergency department to the wider world. In the United Kingdom, people often call it A&E. In North America, it is frequently called the emergency room or ER. You can often find signs for these places with white text on a red background. In the United States, the law requires certain hospitals to treat everyone. This is true even if the person cannot pay for the care. These departments are very busy places that help keep communities safe every day.

An emergency department (ED) is a specialized medical facility designed for acute care. It focuses on emergency medicine, which treats patients who arrive without a prior appointment.

Patients reach these departments by their own means or via an ambulance. Because attendance is unplanned, the ED must handle a broad spectrum of illnesses and injuries. Some conditions are life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. In many countries, these departments serve as vital entry points for people lacking other medical access. Most EDs operate 24 hours a day, though staffing levels may change based on patient volume.

To manage the unpredictable flow of patients, the ED uses a process called triage. Triage is the first stage of care where staff prioritize cases based on clinical need. A triage nurse or other professional conducts a brief assessment of the patient. This includes checking vital signs and identifying the "chief complaint." A chief complaint is the primary reason the person is seeking help, such as chest pain or difficulty breathing.

Triage can happen face-to-face or via radio with an ambulance crew. While most patients move from triage to another area, some minor cases may be treated and finished right at the triage stage.

Patients are sorted into specific areas based on the severity of their condition. The most critical patients go to the resuscitation area, often called "Trauma" or "Resus." This area contains the specialized equipment and staff needed for life-threatening emergencies. Typical resuscitation teams include at least one attending physician and one or two nurses trained in Advanced Cardiac Life Support. Other specialists, like respiratory therapists or pharmacists, may join the team depending on the case. Patients who are seriously ill but not in immediate danger move to "acute care" or "majors." In this area, doctors perform thorough assessments and advanced diagnostic testing. This testing might include blood work, ultrasonography, CT scans, or MRI scans.

Patients with non-life-threatening issues are directed to "minors" or "prompt care" areas. These areas handle conditions like fractures, dislocations, or lacerations that require suturing. Some hospitals also include specialized sections for specific needs. For example, pediatric areas serve children, sometimes employing play therapists to reduce anxiety.

Other hospitals maintain separate areas for psychiatric evaluations. These sections are often staffed by psychiatrists, mental health nurses, and social workers. They may include specific rooms for individuals who pose a risk to themselves or others.

The history of specialized emergency care shows how much medical systems have evolved. By the late mid-nineteenth century, accident services were provided by municipalities and railway companies in the United States and Europe. However, the world's first specialized trauma care center opened in 1911. This facility was located at the University of Louisville Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. In the 1930s, surgeon Arnold Griswold further developed these services. He equipped police and fire vehicles with medical supplies and trained officers to provide emergency care during transport.

Emergency departments are massive operations with significant statistical footprints. In the United States, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services classifies them into two types. Type A departments are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Type B departments are not. In 2009, there were an estimated 128,885,040 ED encounters in U.S. hospitals. During the 2009–2010 period, 19.6 million of those visits were made by people aged 65 and older. Data from 2010 shows that about one-fifth of all ED visits involved patients under the age of 18. In most cases, 82.8 percent of encounters result in treatment and release, while 17.2 percent lead to inpatient admission.

Different regions use different names and signage for these facilities. In the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, the term "Accident and Emergency" (A&E) is common. In North America, people often use "emergency room" or "ER."

Directional signs often feature white text on a red background to help people find help quickly. In the United States, the 1986 Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act requires hospitals receiving Medicare payments to treat everyone. This applies regardless of a person's citizenship, legal status, or ability to pay. This law ensures that the emergency department remains a critical safety net for the entire community.