ER clinicians urge patients and visitors not to yell at or assault staff. Emergency rooms prioritize by medical urgency, and aggression can disrupt care for others; one cited study found 66% of ER physicians reported being assaulted in the past year.
The same study said more than one-third of ER physicians reported being assaulted multiple times. Another study found 71% of physicians had witnessed an assault at work, and 97% said perpetrators were patients. Clinicians advise telling the care team if symptoms worsen rather than repeatedly demanding to know when treatment will begin.
Staff say a calm companion can help, while large visitor groups, speakerphone calls and aggressive demands can disrupt care. For some non-emergencies, urgent care or primary care may be more appropriate and cost less than an ER visit; clinicians stress that people should not hesitate to seek emergency care.
