US Medical Term · emergency
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Servicios médicos de emergencia
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Emergency Medical Services (EMS) |
| Spanish (Español) | Servicios médicos de emergencia |
| Chinese (中文) | 緊急醫療服務 |
| Korean (한국어) | 응급 의료 서비스 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Dịch vụ y tế khẩn cấp |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Emergency Medical Services |
| Portuguese (Português) | Serviços médicos de emergência |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | บริการการแพทย์ฉุกเฉิน |
| Japanese (日本語) | 救急医療サービス |
What it means
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) refers to the organized system of pre-hospital emergency care provided by trained personnel who respond to 911 calls. EMS includes EMTs, paramedics, and emergency dispatchers. They arrive by ground ambulance or medical helicopter to assess, treat, and transport patients to the appropriate hospital. EMS plays a critical role in stroke, heart attack, trauma, and respiratory emergencies where early treatment improves survival. In the US, call 911 to activate EMS. When you call, stay on the line, tell them the location, what happened, and the patient's condition. Do not drive yourself or an unstable person to the hospital—call 911 instead.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
I called 911 and EMS arrived within five minutes.
Llamé al 911 y los servicios médicos de emergencia llegaron en cinco minutos.
Should I call EMS or drive him to the hospital myself?
¿Debo llamar a los servicios médicos de emergencia o llevarlo al hospital yo mismo?
EMS treated her at the scene before bringing her to the emergency room.
Los servicios médicos de emergencia la atendieron en el lugar antes de llevarla a la sala de emergencias.
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026