A person facing a health crisis

What Constitutes a Health Crisis

A health crisis is any sudden or significant medical event that disrupts a person's normal life, threatens their well-being, and demands immediate or ongoing attention. Health crises can take many forms:

Types of Health Crises

• Acute events: Heart attack, stroke, severe injury, anaphylaxis, or sudden organ failure
• New serious diagnoses: Cancer, autoimmune disorders, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, ALS, or other chronic/life-threatening conditions
• Mental health emergencies: Severe depression, psychotic episodes, suicidal ideation, or acute PTSD
• Chronic condition escalation: Diabetes complications, COPD progression, kidney failure requiring dialysis
• Infectious disease: Serious infections, sepsis, or pandemic-related illness
• Rare or unknown conditions: Undiagnosed symptoms, rare diseases requiring specialized care