The emergency department is a medical unit established in hospitals and other healthcare institutions to provide medical assistance to patients requiring urgent care. Emergency departments are divided into various units based on the patient's complaint and the urgency of their medical condition. Since the 1960s, after the increase in the intensity of emergency services, these units have been divided into three groups, which are categorized according to the patient's symptoms as follows:
 

Red Zone
 

The red zone: This group deals with patients in critical condition. The red zone unit handles situations involving life-threatening injuries or severe illnesses. Patients classified in the red zone require the most immediate medical attention. Medical interventions for conditions such as heart attack symptoms, severe respiratory issues, stab or gunshot wounds, and multiple trauma are performed in the red zone unit. Additionally, patients brought to the emergency department by ambulance are also included in this group.
 

Yellow Zone
 

The yellow zone: When a patient has a disease or condition, such as trauma, that poses a risk of permanent damage to the body, the yellow zone unit provides the necessary medical intervention. Patients directed to the yellow zone may have to wait for some time before receiving treatment.
 

Green Zone
 

The green zone: This unit handles minor injuries and illnesses. The conditions of patients in the green zone are less urgent compared to those in the red and yellow zones. Therefore, patients in this group may experience long wait times, especially in busy hospitals. After a triage (a system for determining the priority of medical treatment in emergency departments), patients are directed to the appropriate unit for treatment based on the explanations provided above.

What Conditions Does the Emergency Department Treat?

As mentioned earlier, the emergency department handles a wide range of conditions, from minor illnesses to severe injuries. Issues such as respiratory problems, earaches, bleeding, and sore throats are all addressed by the emergency department.

The diseases treated in the emergency department, within the framework of the triage categories, are classified as follows:
 

Conditions treated in the red zone include:

Shock

Cardiac arrest (Cardiopulmonary arrest)

Coma

Airway obstruction

Respiratory distress

Multiple trauma

Anaphylaxis (life-threatening allergic shock)

Febrile convulsion (especially common in children aged 3-5)

Severe painful conditions

Poisoning

Uncontrollable bleeding in various parts of the body

Childbirth
 

Conditions treated in the yellow zone include:
 

Abdominal pain

Sore throat with difficulty swallowing

Moderate burns

Renal stones (kidney stones)

Long bone or hip fractures

Non-amputated cuts

Multiple or open fractures

Severe headache without fever
 

Conditions treated in the green zone include:
 

Sprains

Chronic joint pain

Chronic headaches

Rashes

Wound care

Vaginal discharge

Cold symptoms

Minor earache

Minor isolated extremity injuries

Insect bites not causing anaphylaxis (allergic shock)

Suture removal (removal of stitches)

The list of diseases treated by the emergency department according to international standards is provided below:

Terrorism, sabotage, shootings, stabbings, fights, etc.

Rape

Suicide attempt

Traffic accidents

Severe burns

Any situation causing loss of consciousness

Uremic and diabetic coma [Conditions ranging from confusion caused by kidney failure and diabetes to complete loss of consciousness (coma)]

Meningitis, encephalitis, brain abscess

Sudden paralysis (stroke)

Severe allergic reactions (These conditions may cause irregular heart rhythms, airway obstruction, or low blood pressure.)

Migraine and/or headache with vomiting, loss of consciousness

Frostbite, cold stroke

Diver's disease (decompression sickness, commonly known as “the bends”)

Fall from height

Severe eye injuries

Acute psychotic cases causing extreme aggression

Serious work accidents, limb amputation

Lower extremity and spinal fractures: leg fractures leading to significant internal or external bleeding and any spinal fractures.

Renal colic

Life-threatening internal or external bleeding due to trauma (acute massive bleeding)

Blockage, perforation, inflammation, or twisting of hollow organs (stomach, intestines, etc.) (acute abdomen)

Electrocution

Heart attack, arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm), hypertensive (related to high blood pressure) crises (These conditions may cause brain hemorrhage.)

Asthma attack, acute respiratory problems

Near-drowning

Heatstroke

Poisoning

General condition disorder in dialysis patients

Loss of consciousness in newborns

High fever due to various causes such as infectious diseases, heatstroke, or poisoning (The fever can lead to issues like heart rhythm disorders or seizures. The fever is generally around 39.5°C and above.)

Amniotic sac rupture, labor

Severe deterioration in general health due to insufficient care, serious illness, malnutrition, or old age