For injury treatment within emergency departments, it can be practice to receive a patient, treat them, and discharge them with a referral to a specialist depending on their specific type of injury. While this practice may be effective for the treatment of injuries, it does not account for the risk of comorbidity that injuries can pose for a patient.

Depression is a diagnosable and treatable condition that can be targeted to improve post-injury recovery. It is important for primary care providers to assess their patients and be aware of potential sign of depression that may develop alongside an injury. It can be especially important to be aware of depressive symptoms early on and to treat them before it potentially develops into depression.