Noun

Singular emergency room

Plural emergency rooms

emergency room (plural emergency rooms)

1. A department of a hospital primarily used for the treatment of the most serious, often life-threatening conditions.

Synonyms

• accident & emergency (A&E)
• casualty (UK)
• emergency ward (EW)
• ER (abbreviation)

An Emergency Department (ED), also known as Accident & Emergency (A&E), Emergency Room (ER), Emergency Ward (EW), or Casualty Department is a medical treatment facility, specialising in acute care of patients who present without prior appointment, either by their own means or by ambulance. The emergency department is usually found in a hospital or other primary care center.

Due to the unplanned nature of patient attendance, the department must provide initial treatment for a broad spectrum of illnesses and injuries, some of which may be life-threatening and require immediate attention. In some countries, emergency departments have become important entry points for those without other means of access to medical care.

The emergency departments of most hospitals operate 24 hours a day, although staffing levels may be varied in an attempt to mirror patient volume.

History

The first specialized trauma care center in the world was opened in 1911 in the United States at the University of Louisville Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky, and was developed by surgeon Arnold Griswold during the 1930s. Griswold also equipped police and fire vehicles with medical supplies and trained officers to give emergency care while en route to the hospital.