[Beware of labels].

A 50-year-old individual identified as a 'frequent user' of emergency services due to chronic abdominal pain was transported to the emergency department by ambulance during a new episode of abdominal pain. Despite being initially deemed stable by paramedics, the patient was not reassessed by the triage nurse upon arrival. Subsequently, the patient presented with severe pain, arterial hypotension, and tachycardia. Following a multidisciplinary protocol for pain management, analgesic treatment was initiated. Despite several hours of management and repeated assessments, an abdominal CT-scan was eventually conducted, revealing a perforated small intestine. The application of the 'frequent user' label may have contributed to a delay in the provision of timely care for this patient.