There are many situations in which emergency medical care will be required. These include life-threatening injuries that involve a major loss of blood, or damage to vital organs, cardiac arrest, loss of consciousness due to head wounds, or epileptic fits. There are also many resuscitative procedures that will require emergency medical service, these include cardiopulmonary resuscitation or a tracheostomy.

Emergency medical services will treat patients on the spot before transporting the patient by road or air ambulance to a hospital emergency room.

The emergency departments of hospitals are staffed with doctors and nurses that are specifically trained to deal with these types of medical conditions. As soon as the patient arrives a rapid assessment of the priority that should be given to that patient will be made. This will depend on both the status of the patient, and the other patients that are in the emergency room awaiting treatment.
If it appears that the patient's condition is not a genuine emergency, and could be dealt with by their doctor or a pharmacist, the patient may be redirected to a more appropriate service.