Emergency medicine

Emergency medicine is a branch of medicine that is practiced in a hospital emergency department, in the field (in a modified form; see EMS), and other locations where initial medical treatment of illness takes place.

Related Topics:
Medicine - Hospital - Emergency department - EMS

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Emergency medicine focuses on diagnosis and treatment of acute illnesses and injuries that require immediate care. While not usually providing long-term care, EM physicians and pre-hospital personnel still provide care with the aim of improving long-term patient outcome. In the United States, some people use the emergency department for outpatient care that could be provided at a doctor's office. As a result, much of emergency room care is plain old good general practice (coughs, colds, aches, pains). The patients are better treated in an urgent care, which is a center focused on problems for which the patient desires immediate care, but do not reach the acuity that requires care in an emergency department.

Related Topics:
Outcome - Urgent care

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In the USA, the American College of Emergency Physicians is the primary member organization of emergency physicians. The American Board of Emergency Medicine provides board certification to emergency physicians who have successfully completed a residency in emergency medicine and have received a passing score on the board exam in emergency medicine.

Related Topics:
American College of Emergency Physicians - American Board of Emergency Medicine

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In the United Kingdom, the Faculty of Accident and Emergency Medicine sets the examinations that trainees in Emergency Medicine take in order to become consultants (fully-trained emergency physicians). The British Association for Emergency Medicine is the member organization in the UK.

Related Topics:
Faculty of Accident and Emergency Medicine - Emergency physician - British Association for Emergency Medicine

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In Australia and New Zealand, advanced training in Emergency Medicine is overseen by the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM).

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See medical emergency for specific lists of medical emergencies and how best to respond.

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