After an Attempt A Guide for Medical Providers in the Emergency Department Taking Care of Suicide Attempt Survivors

The emergency department (ED) is the
frontline of medicine and often serves
the doorway into the medical system
for people in distress, including people
who attempt suicide. Individuals who
have attempted suicide are at increased
risk for later dying by suicide, and up
to 20 percent of those who attempted
suicide in the past will try again in the
future.1 The ED is often the initial point
of contact with the health system for
many of these individuals, and it offers a
unique opportunity to help people who
have attempted suicide to begin to recover
from the depression and hopelessness that
led to their suicide attempt.
The purpose of this brochure is to provide
you with some quick tips to enhance care
in the ED for people who have attempted
suicide, while also providing information
on the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA), patient
discharge, and resources about suicide for
medical professionals, patients, and their
families.