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Medicine vocabulary · Hospital Departments and Staff

Emergency department

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/ɪˈmɜːrdʒənsi dɪˌpɑːrtmənt/nounCore term

In medicine, emergency department means: The hospital department, open 24 hours a day, that treats people with sudden illness or injury who need urgent care.

In Turkish: acil servis, acil

How it is used

Abbreviated ED. In the UK it is also called A&E (accident and emergency); in the US people often say the ER (emergency room). Patients attend, present to or are brought to the emergency department.

Example sentences

  1. She was brought to the emergency department by ambulance after a fall.

  2. The emergency department is very busy tonight, so expect delays for admissions.

Common collocations

  • attend the emergency department
  • emergency department physician
  • ED triage
  • emergency department visit
  • triageThe process of quickly assessing patients to decide who needs treatment first, based on how serious their condition is.
  • admitTo accept a patient into hospital so that they stay in a bed for treatment or observation, usually for at least one night.
  • on callAvailable to be contacted and to come and help if needed, especially outside normal working hours, such as at night or at weekends.
  • intensive care unitA hospital unit with special equipment and highly trained staff for critically ill patients who need close monitoring or organ support, such as a ventilator.
  • present withTo come to a doctor or hospital with a particular problem or symptom; also used for the way a disease first shows itself.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Hospital Departments and Staff

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.