Development of a department of emergency health services in a teaching hospital

Emergency health services have evolved as a complex and demanding activity. Factors responsible include public perception and need for ready access to relatively prompt attention in a highly developed and expensive health resource area, and reliance on these services for clinical material for inhospital census and teaching. Thus, an emergency health service is a vital resource within a university environment for patient care, education and research. Appreciation of the nature and significance of this resource has not yet matured within the academic community. A logical, comprehensive approach is required to control the development of such a service as an academic department and to eliminate haphazard, unexploited growth. Required features include recognized specialty and academic status with full-time faculty, undergraduate curricula and a residency program with career goals to attract highly motivated physicians. The potential for clinical research of prehospitalization pathophysiology in trauma and acute emergencies in intensive care and similar units has not been properly exploited.