Frequently asked questions about the emergency department

A patient file must be created and your identity must be verified each time you visit the emergency department.

The nurse welcomes you and assesses your state of health. This assessment is based on national criteria. The reception nurse is specially trained to carry out this assessment.

It is important to assess your pain and measure its intensity. This will enable us to provide you with the best possible care in the emergency department.

The healthcare team is required to verify your identity at each stage of your care: this is known as identity vigilance.

This precaution is important because misidentification can have serious consequences. For example, a patient could receive treatment that was not intended for them.

There are a limited number of examination rooms, and they must be vacated as soon as possible so that other patients can be seen.

After your medical examination, you will be taken to the waiting room or a waiting area with beds.

However, the healthcare team will remain available if needed.

The emergency department is a reception, triage, and treatment area for all patients who arrive.

Medical procedures, pain management and emergency treatments are therefore given priority.

Some medical examinations require fasting: therefore, you must not eat, drink, or smoke without the nurse's permission.

Examinations or treatments are at the discretion of the doctor. Some non-urgent examinations may be prescribed and carried out later.

Transportation is subject to a medical prescription only when necessary, after an assessment based on objective criteria and regulated by law.

  • Because you need to undergo additional examinations or obtain specialist opinions, without urgency.
  • Because the emergency doctor asked you to do so in order to reassess your situation.

All patients are admitted in the emergency department for assessment and referral:

  • Some arrive on their own, while others are referred by their general practitioner or ambulance.
  • Some have more serious health problems than others: their care is given priority.

A single doctor may have several patients to treat. A very serious case may also require the entire healthcare team to be mobilised.

In addition, emergency care may include:

  • Prescribing laboratory tests (blood tests) or imaging tests (X-rays, CT scans, etc.)
  • Requesting a specialist opinion.

You have to wait to undergo additional tests and obtain the results.

For all these reasons, waiting times in the emergency department can be long.

If you have a non-urgent health issue, you will be referred to your general practitioner, the medical centre or a teleconsultation to avoid unnecessary waiting times.

When an ambulance arrives at the emergency department, we have a duty to release the crew quickly. Paramedics must be able to respond as quickly as possible if they have another person to rescue.

However, patients arriving by ambulance are not necessarily given priority over others. Patients are prioritised solely on the basis of the severity of their condition.

Every patient who arrives at the emergency department must register with the receptionist and state the reason for their visit. The reason for the visit determines whether the patient is a priority or not.

If a patient is seen before you, it means that they have a more serious health problem that requires immediate care.

Waiting times may vary depending on the availability of staff, equipment, rooms, and the number of patients being treated at the same time.

It also takes time to analyse and transmit the results of these tests.

The emergency department staff systematically offers you treatment tailored to the intensity of your pain as soon as you are seen by the triage nurse.

You cannot choose which doctor treats you in the emergency department. The team on duty will provide your care.

All practitioners in the emergency department are doctors trained and specialised in emergency care. They are versatile and can treat both medical and surgical conditions.

There are no specialist doctors (e.g. dermatologists, dentists, paediatricians, etc.) in the emergency department. However, the emergency doctor may consult a specialist in urgent cases.

If you are an adult, you can appoint a trusted person.

The trusted person will be consulted by the medical team if your state of health no longer allows you to express yourself or make choices.

Your trusted person can also accompany you during your medical procedures and appointments.

Regulations stipulate that healthcare staff are only authorised to disclose medical information to the trusted person chosen by the patient or a relative designated by the patient.

If you have your phone with you, we invite you to contact your relatives directly.

The treatment area is where patients are examined and treated. It is not a waiting room.

If possible, the emergency department staff will keep you informed throughout the treatment of your relative or friend, provided the patient has given their consent.

In certain situations, family members may be allowed to keep the patient company in the treatment area. This is the case, for example, when the patient is under 18 years old.

The healthcare staff's priority is to look after the patient and their care. They will do their best to keep you informed of any developments in the care of your relative or friend, with their consent.

The out-of-hours medical centre allows you to consult a general practitioner when surgeries are closed, i.e. at night, at weekends and on public holidays.

To make an appointment at the medical centre, you must call 15.