Abstract

Emergency Medicine (EM) in India is in the process of a critical transformation, from being a vaguely defined service to becoming an organized specialty. In this regard, anesthesiologists with their fundamental areas of competency in acute care, airway management, critical care, and resuscitative interventions are best poised to meet most of the short-term needs of Emergency Departments (EDs), especially where formally trained EM physicians are in short supply. Based on historical precedents, clinical evidence, and national policy trends, this article discusses the natural synergy between Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine. It presents the epidemiological imperative, highlights important skill alignments (e.g., POCUS, thrombolysis etc), and suggests structural and teaching reforms for anesthesiologists’ integration into EDs. By integrating anesthesiologists into EDs, India’s healthcare system can consolidate acute care delivery, particularly in resource-constrained settings, while also expanding the specialty’s clinical reach and professional status.

Keywords

emergency & trauma care