Person younger than 18 years of age who lives independently, is totally self-supporting, and possesses decision-making rights. See age of majority, mature minor, and minor .

Sudden and unexpected medical condition, or the worsening of a condition, that poses a threat to life, limb, or sight and requires immediate medical treatment to alleviate suffering (e.g., shortness of breath, chest pain, drug overdose). In most managed care plans, the only time a person can be hospitalized without precertification is when there is an emergent situation. Also referred to as medical emergency .

Inpatient hospital or facility acceptance of a patient who requires immediate medical or psychiatric care because of life-threatening, serious, and possibly disabling conditions.

Health care services provided to prevent serious impairment of bodily functions or serious dysfunction to any body organ or part. Advanced life support may be required. Not all care provided in an emergency department of a hospital can be termed “emergency care.”

Free-standing health facility that is not hospital affiliated and provides short-term care. It usually is open 24-hours a day, 7 days a week and handles minor medical emergencies or services and procedures that need urgent treatment. Also called emergi-center, free-standing emergency medical service center, free-standing urgent care center, episodic acute care center, urgent care center, urgi-center .

Dental care performed to relieve oral pain, eliminate acute infection, control a life-threatening oral condition, or treat an injury to the teeth, jaws, or associated facial structures.

Hospital outpatient facility available 24 hours a day that gives medical services to patients for emergent medical and surgical conditions that need immediate attention but for which the patient will not be admitted to that facility or transferred to another facility. Also called emergency room (ER) .

Serious medical condition that has symptoms of such a severe nature that if the patient does not receive immediate medical attention, it would place the health of the person, or a fetus in the case of a pregnant woman, in jeopardy.

Inspection and/or testing of the patient and taking of a medical history to discover the nature and extent of an emergency medical condition (e.g., cardiovascular accident, heart attack, poisoning, loss of consciousness, or respiration difficulty).