Overcrowded emergency departments: A problem looking for solution

Emergency Department (ED) is the gateway of our health system. In the absence of an effective primary health care in Pakistan, emergency rooms may be the first point of contact for many patients with acute illnesses or complications of chronic health problems. Everyday thousands of patients visit emergency rooms with various problems that range from simple sore throat to life threatening emergencies, complex medical issues, acute surgical conditions, psychiatric illnesses and trauma.