Function of the accident and emergency department

Abstract

Originally, Accident and Emergency departments were established to treat minor accidents and provide care for patients who were taken suddenly ill. However, recent surveys of patients attending such departments indicate that they are becoming health centres for some groups of the population. Therefore, a wide selection of patients attend these departments ranging from those suffering from minor ailments to those who have been seriously injured and who require resuscitative procedures before being admitted to hospital for definitive treatment.