[Frequent users of the emergency department: current knowledge and future opportunities].

Frequent users of the emergency department (ED) who contribute to ED overcrowding are a well-known public health issue. An integrative and multidisciplinary approach through case management (CM) is the intervention of choice to reduce the number of ED visits. This strategy seems to work particularly well among patients with psychiatric comorbidities and could also be implemented in the prehospital setting in collaboration with emergency medical services and primary care physicians.

[In-hospital triage in 2022].

The in-hospital triage is the first step to every emergency department visit, and it is considered the main tool for matching medical and nursing resources to an exploding demand for care. In the current organization of care, triage is done by a triage nurse who can in certain situations request medical advice. However, given the increase in the number of visits to the emergency room, the heterogeneity of the demand of care and the perception of patients as to their needs, the role of a medical-nursing tandem is taking shape.

[Management and orientation of severely infected patients : relevance of a « Sepsis Fast-Track »].

Sepsis is a syndrome defined by a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to an infection. The early recognition of this syndrome in the emergency department (ED) can lead to a better prognosis, when associated with a standardized management focusing on identification of the infectious source, its treatment, and appropriate organ support. Therefore, the implementation of a « Sepsis Fast Track », by analogy with similar protocols regarding stroke or ST-elevated myocardial infarct, deserves interest.

[Creating a stroke unit in a community hospital improves the management of stroke patients].

Dramatic advances in recent years have changed the care of stroke patients. Creation of stroke hubs with centers and units achieved a significant reduction in mortality and morbidity. The indications for acute therapies such as intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular treatment target an increasing proportion of stroke patients.

[Somatic and psychiatric emergencies: building a mutual view].

The prevalence of behavioural disorders is high among patients admitted to urban Accident and Emergency Departments. These disorders are not necessarily related to the reason for consultation and emergency physicians (EP) should be able to detect these patients and refer them to a psychiatrist when required. On the other hand, the frequent comorbid somatic disorders among patients attending an emergency psychiatric unit should raise concern from psychiatrists and prompt the need for EP advice.