Objective There is an increase in patients being discharged after short stays in the emergency department, but there is limited knowledge of their perspectives on treatment and care. This study aims to explore and understand the needs and preferences of emergency care from the perspective of patients and family members discharged from the emergency department within 24 hours of admission.

Design The study reports from the first phase in an overall participatory design project. Systematic text condensation was used to identify key themes from field observations and interviews with patients and family members.

Setting This study was conducted in two emergency departments in the Region of Southern Denmark.

Participants All adults aged ≥18 years who had been discharged from the emergency department within 24 hours were eligible to take part. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit patients and family members with different sociodemographic features.

Results Field observational studies (n=50 hours), individual interviews with patients (N=19) and family members (N=3), and joint interviews with patients and family members (N=4) were carried out. Four themes were derived from the material: (1) being in a vulnerable place—having emotional concerns; (2) having a need for person-centred information; (3) the atmosphere in the emergency department and (4) implications of family presence.

Conclusion This study demonstrates a gap between patients’ and family members’ needs and preferences and what current emergency departments deliver. The findings highlight the importance of family and person-centred care. Tailored communication and information with genuine involvement of family members is found to be essential needs during acute illness.