US Medical Term · clinical
Emergency Medical Condition
Condición Médica de Emergencia
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Emergency Medical Condition |
| Spanish (Español) | Condición Médica de Emergencia |
| Chinese (中文) | 紧急医疗状况 |
| Korean (한국어) | 응급 의료 상태 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Tình trạng y tế khẩn cấp |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Emergency na Kondisyong Medikal |
| Portuguese (Português) | Condição Médica de Emergência |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | ภาวะฉุกเฉินทางการแพทย์ |
| Japanese (日本語) | 緊急医療状態 |
What it means
An emergency medical condition is an acute illness or injury severe enough that a reasonable person would believe that without immediate treatment, it could seriously jeopardize their health, impair bodily function, or cause serious dysfunction of any organ. This definition, used in EMTALA and insurance regulations, triggers key patient protections: hospitals must screen and stabilize you regardless of insurance status or ability to pay, and your insurer cannot require prior authorization for emergency care. Typical examples include sudden chest pain, difficulty breathing, signs of stroke, severe bleeding, or high fever in an infant. You may still owe cost-sharing after stabilization, but the initial emergency care itself must be covered.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
Sudden chest pain and difficulty breathing are classic signs of an emergency medical condition.
El dolor torácico repentino y la dificultad para respirar son señales clásicas de una condición médica de emergencia.
Your insurer cannot require prior authorization for treatment of an emergency medical condition.
Su aseguradora no puede exigir autorización previa para el tratamiento de una condición médica de emergencia.
The emergency medical condition must be stabilized before the hospital can legally transfer you to another facility.
La condición médica de emergencia debe estabilizarse antes de que el hospital pueda trasladarlo legalmente a otra instalación.
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026