I could not be happier to write an introduction to the textbook Minor Emergencies. Diseases described here occur commonly, and most of the clinical situations presented in this book will present daily. This is the material that forms the body of an emergency medical practice. Treatment of these illnesses and injuries is the basis of an acute care practice. These are the complaints from which, if handled well, most patients recover.

 

During my emergency medical career, I opened the chest and crossed-clamped aortas at least 12 or 13 times. All stopped bleeding, but none of the patients lived longer than 12 hours. This is not the book for this problem. Every patient presenting with a corneal foreign body that I treated (and there were probably more than a thousand) got better. Simple, straightforward problems often can have excellent outcomes. Simple does not mean unimportant, however. Just ask the corneal foreign body patient how they felt just before and just after the topical pain medication.

 

In emergency medicine, as in theater acting, there are no small parts, and people who think there are do not understand the significance of their role. Patients deserve to have each complaint to be properly evaluated and treated. Proper history, correct physical examination, evaluation, and treatment are still the basis of care. To the patient and their family members doing it right always matters. To the patient’s mind, there is no such thing as a minor emergency—if it is me or my family involved, I expect it to be taken seriously.

 

This textbook reminds us that no matter what the patient’s complaint may be, calming the patient, proper evaluation, and direct approach are always best. Each medical problem discussed in this book has both psychological and physical dimensions, and both need to be addressed. The days of the omnipotent doctor are gone. Involving the patient in their care is the therapy of choice. To the patient, everything is new and frightening. Making them a partner in their care is the best technique we can use.