In the event that an ED physician is evaluating and managing a truly homicidal patient, the ED physician has a duty to both warn the potential victim (typically via contacting local police) and to take actions to protect the potential victim from harm (e.g., by psychiatrically hospitalizing the patient) This duty was established in the landmark case of Tarasoff vs the University of California and has withstood numerous court challenges This duty to warn and protect the potential victim supersedes the physician’s duty to maintain patient confidentiality SUICIDE ATTEMPTS Goals of Emergency Evaluation and Treatment The goals of emergency evaluation and treatment of patients presenting in the wake of a suicide attempt are to identify and treat any potential medical sequelae of the attempt, to maintain the patient’s safety in the ED, and to establish an adequate disposition plan CLINICAL PEARLS AND PITFALLS