What an emergency physician does
Emergency physicians work in hospital emergency departments, sometimes still called casualty. They see anyone who arrives acutely unwell or injured, of any age and with any problem, and their job is to recognise what is dangerous, stabilise it and decide what happens next. In India emergency medicine is a recognised postgraduate speciality, usually an MD or DNB in emergency medicine after an MBBS, though many emergency departments are also staffed by doctors from other backgrounds.
Emergency care works by priority, not by arrival time. On arrival a nurse or doctor quickly assesses how sick each person is, a process called triage, and those in greatest danger are seen first. Someone with a sprained ankle may wait while a person with chest pain or breathing difficulty goes straight in. This can feel unfair in a busy department, but it is how lives are saved.
An emergency physician does not replace the specialists. After initial treatment they decide whether you can go home, need a period of observation, should be admitted under a particular team, need an operation, or need intensive care. Emergency physicians are not booked by appointment. If you think someone is having an emergency, call 108 or go to the nearest emergency department; this listing is to show who works where, not whom to call.
- Chest pain or pressure, especially with sweating, breathlessness or pain spreading to the arm or jaw
- Sudden weakness of the face, arm or leg, difficulty speaking, or sudden confusion
- Severe difficulty breathing, choking, or lips turning blue
- Unconsciousness, a fit, heavy bleeding, a serious injury, or a suspected poisoning or snake bite: call 108
Conditions emergency physicians treat
Chest pain
Assessed quickly for heart attack and other serious causes.
Stroke symptoms
Sudden weakness, facial droop or difficulty speaking; some treatments work only within hours, so speed matters.
Breathing difficulty
Severe asthma, lung infections, heart failure and allergic reactions.
Serious injuries
Road accidents, falls, burns, cuts and suspected fractures.
Poisoning and bites
Swallowed medicines or chemicals, pesticide exposure, and snake or animal bites.
Severe infections and sepsis
High fever with low blood pressure, confusion or signs that organs are struggling.
Fits, collapse and unconsciousness
Anyone who has had a seizure, fainted or cannot be woken.
Severe abdominal pain
Including possible appendicitis, bowel obstruction, bleeding and pregnancy-related emergencies.
Acute problems in children
Children with breathing difficulty, dehydration, high fever with drowsiness, or injuries.
Tests and procedures you may come across
Triage assessment
A quick check of breathing, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen level and consciousness to decide priority.
ECG
Done within minutes for chest pain and many other symptoms.
Point-of-care blood tests
Rapid sugar, blood gas and other tests that give results at the bedside.
Bedside ultrasound
A quick scan done in the department to look for internal bleeding, fluid around the heart or other urgent problems.
X-ray and CT scan
For injuries, suspected stroke and other serious conditions.
Resuscitation
Support for breathing and circulation, including oxygen, fluids, medicines and, if needed, a breathing tube.
Wound care and splinting
Stitching cuts, cleaning wounds and supporting suspected fractures before specialist care.
Emergency physician or another specialist?
The nearest neighbouring specialities, and when each is the right door.
Before your first visit
- If possible, bring the person's current medicines or a photo of their prescriptions, and any recent reports or discharge summaries.
- Tell staff straight away about allergies, long-term conditions such as diabetes, heart or kidney disease, pregnancy, and any blood thinners.
- Say clearly what happened, when symptoms started, and what has changed. For stroke symptoms, the time the person was last seen well is especially important.
- In poisoning, bring the container, packet or a photo of it. For a bite, a description or photo of the animal helps, but do not try to catch it.
- Carry identification and a phone number for a family member. Expect to wait if others are sicker; tell staff at once if the person gets worse.
Qualifications and registration to check
Registered with the National Medical Commission or a state medical council. The number can be searched on the NMC's Indian Medical Register. Every profile on The Doctor Index shows the registration number and says whether it has been checked against the register.
How to check a registrationQuestions about seeing an emergency physician
Should I call 108 or drive to the hospital myself?
For chest pain, stroke symptoms, severe breathlessness, serious injury or unconsciousness, calling 108 is usually safer, because treatment can begin on the way. For less severe problems, going to the nearest emergency department yourself is reasonable.
Why was someone who arrived after me seen first?
Emergency departments see patients by how urgent their condition is, not by the order they arrive. Someone who looks well may be seen after someone in greater danger.
Is casualty the same as an emergency department?
Yes. Casualty is the older name still used in many Indian hospitals. Larger hospitals increasingly have a dedicated emergency department staffed by doctors trained in emergency medicine.
Can I book an appointment with an emergency physician?
No. Emergency physicians see people as they arrive in the emergency department. For a problem that can wait, book a general physician or the relevant specialist.
What happens after the emergency department?
You may be sent home with advice and follow-up, kept for observation, admitted under a specialist team, taken for surgery, or moved to intensive care, depending on what is found.
Also searched as: emergency doctor, casualty, accident and emergency, er doctor.
Written by The Doctor Index on 27 Sep 2026, and has not yet been reviewed by a clinician. General information, not advice about your own situation.