The Department of Emergency Medicine, then headed by Dr S.Sundarakumar was started in 2003. More than 12 services including pre-hospital care, medical and trauma emergency room, emergency transit intensive care, emergency operation theatre and round-the-clock skilled care are offered by the department. It is equipped with all modern facilities. It is now headed by Dr V. Ramamoorthy, who took over as HOD from his predecessor Dr A. Sivakumar.

Moving a step further towards excellence in patient care during emergencies, it initiated a process of developing specific protocols for patient care in different situations like medical emergencies, trauma care, burns, disaster management etc.

In effect, it developed a triage system, which means injured or sick patients are classifid according to their medical condition. The system basically identifies patients who need priority attention. Multiple or mass casualty situations are triaged accordingly. By this process, all patients receive initial resuscitation and are then reassessed for further management.

The department’s quest to excel and its focus on quality care is supported by its daily debriefing and discussions that review the approach and priorities in day-to-day situations. The department comprises a team of dynamic doctors, trained paramedics and non-medical personnel who work round-the-clock. The trauma team comprising a general surgeon, an orthopaedician, an anaesthesiologist and a radiologist is available 24×7. Supportive facilities like CT, MRI, laboratory services and intensive care are also available .The department also associates itself with academic units that provide training in life support courses, disaster management, pre-hospital care and trauma to medical students, nurses and the public.

Another proof of its excellence in academics is its association with the Indo-US Emergency and Trauma Collaborative – Emergency Medicine, or INDUS-EM. The aim is to improve the academic science of emergency medicine across medical schools.

The INDUS-EM held at PSG facilitated the MCI’s decision to announce emergency medicine as an academic discipline in 2009, which paved the way for the introduction of MD (Emergency Medicine) programmes across the country. The department was publishing the INDUS-EM newsletter “TEAMS” (Trauma and Emergency Medicine Academic Medicine Sentinel) until recently. The department was also part of the national forum in developing the academic component of emergency medicine.

Facilities

• Each cubicle has a multi para monitor, airway devices and all emergency drugs
• Each management area has a defibrillator and a mobile ventilator
• The Department has an advanced ultrasound machine, point of care testing equipment and portable X-ray machine.