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prontosocorro

Pronto-socorro is a term used in Portuguese-speaking countries, especially Brazil and Portugal, to denote a medical facility that provides immediate care for urgent and life-threatening conditions. It corresponds to what in English is called an emergency department or emergency room. Pronto-socorro units are typically open 24 hours a day and are designed to rapidly assess and treat patients with acute illnesses or injuries, or to stabilize those in critical condition before further treatment.

Most prontosocorro units begin with triage, assigning priority according to the severity of illness or injury.

A typical pronto-socorro employs physicians, including residents, registered nurses, nurse technicians, and administrative personnel, with access

In Brazil, the pronto-socorro can be part of a hospital or a standalone facility; there are also

After
initial
assessment
and
stabilization,
patients
may
undergo
diagnostic
tests,
receive
treatment,
and
be
discharged,
admitted
to
a
hospital
ward,
or
transferred
to
another
facility.
The
care
focus
is
on
rapid
decision-making
and
coordination
with
other
hospital
services.
to
laboratory
services
and
imaging
such
as
X-ray
and
ultrasound.
Facilities
vary
by
level:
larger
centers
offer
comprehensive
care,
advanced
life-support
capabilities,
and
surgical
teams,
while
smaller
units
concentrate
on
stabilization
and
basic
investigations.
Unidade
de
Pronto
Atendimento
(UPA)
units
operated
by
municipalities
to
treat
non-life-threatening
emergencies.
In
Portugal
and
other
countries,
the
term
generally
maps
to
the
hospital
emergency
department.
Variations
reflect
funding,
staffing,
and
the
organization
of
emergency
medical
services.