Patient perceptions of the specialty of emergency medicine

The study objective was to determine emergency department (ED) patients' pe rceptions of the specialty of emergency medicine. We surveyed a convenience sample of adult ED patients regarding their knowledge of the specialty of emergency medicine. Responses included: 22% believing that ED physicians ha ve their own practice outside the ED; 26% of patients with primary care phy sicians expected to be seen by their primary care physician in the ED; 19% thought ED physicians care for patients after admission; 26% thought that E D physicians perform surgery, 62% perceived emergency medicine to be a spec ialty; 15% have heard of the American College of Emergency Physicians; 71% thought that ED physicians are board certified and 15% thought paramedics w ere ED physicians. Patients estimated ED physicians' mean annual mean salar y to be $100,000 and 61% believe that ED physicians are hospital employees, In conclusion, the specialty of emergency medicine is not well understood by our patients.(Am J Emerg Med 2000;18:278-281. Copyright (C) 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company).