Emergency medicine: a global perspective on its past, evolution, and future

Eric P Heymann; Rodrick Lim; James Maskalyk; Simon Pulfrey; Shannon Chun; Maxwell Osei-Ampofo; Kimberly deSouza; Megan Landes; Eddy Lang

doi:10.1007/s11739-024-03812-3

Emergency medicine: a global perspective on its past, evolution, and future

Intern Emerg Med. 2024 Nov 7. doi: 10.1007/s11739-024-03812-3. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Eric P Heymann^{1

2}, Rodrick Lim³, James Maskalyk⁴, Simon Pulfrey⁵, Shannon Chun⁴, Maxwell Osei-Ampofo^{6

7}, Kimberly deSouza⁸, Megan Landes⁸, Eddy Lang^{9

10}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Emergency Medicine, Neuchâtel Cantonal Hospital, Neuchâtel, Switzerland. [email protected].
² Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. [email protected].
³ Department of Paediatrics, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
⁴ Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
⁵ Department of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
⁶ Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
⁷ Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
⁸ Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
⁹ Department of Emergency Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
¹⁰ Clinical Department Head for Emergency Medicine, Calgary Zone, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Canada.

PMID: 39508981
DOI: 10.1007/s11739-024-03812-3

Abstract

Emergency Medicine (EM) has continuously evolved since its origins on the battlefields of eighteenth-century Europe. Adapting to emerging challenges in healthcare, it has, in the past 70 years, developed to become a critical safety net for society. Despite its resilience and many accomplishments, EM still faces significant challenges, including workforce attrition, resource constraints, and the need for ongoing innovation. This paper explores the various adaptations EM has implemented to meet the demands of healthcare systems globally. By examining these factors and challenges, the paper outlines a future roadmap for EM, emphasizing global equity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and sustained investment to ensure that EM remains robust in addressing future healthcare challenges.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence; Development of Emergency Medicine; Emergency Medicine; Evolution; Future; Past; Present.