Emergency department: A sociological perspective

As a complex space that can be interpreted on individual, societal and systemic levels, there is a need for analysis of emergency medicine that transcends the biomedical paradigm to explore its sociological influences. The ED is a social structure of different roles, responsibilities and relationships that can be analysed through observation of the different institutionalised activities which highlight the hierarchies and culturally influenced interactions taking place between actors. Institutionalised activities that provide insight into the social structure of the ED include deference to doctors by patients in the context of environmental chaos, segregated handover of information and discharge-oriented patient care that de-emphasises the impact of social background.