Throughout the month of January we are spotlighting the important role that Urgent Care services, such as our Emergency Departments, play within our community. 

Last year our district’s Emergency Departments treated over 200,000 patients. However, although Emergency Departments tend to be the first healthcare services you think of when you experience an accident or are in need of urgent care – few people realise the important role that research plays in improving these services. 

By investing in education and research for our urgent care services we are able to better treat and triage patients on their arrival and ensure that they are receiving optimal care and the very best treatment possible. This is particularly important as often every minute counts to patients in need of emergency care. 

To help us better understand the role of research in emergency medicine, we are joined by Dr Mark Gillett, Director of Emergency Research at Royal North Shore Hospital.