Emergency Care

What Should I Expect at the ER?

Triage
When you arrive, a registered nurse will conduct an initial exam, take your vital signs and complete a brief medical history. Triage helps us determine the severity of your emergency and allows us to take care of the most urgent cases right away. That’s why someone who arrives after you may be treated before you. We work to see everyone as quickly as possible and we attend to the most critical needs first.

Registration
During registration, we will ask you to sign a treatment consent form and to provide your name, address, phone number, personal physician and insurance information. For your convenience, if an exam room is available, a registration clerk will gather this information at your bedside. If a room is not available, and your emergency is not life-threatening, you may be asked to remain in the reception area until a room is ready for you.

Evaluation
Once you are in the treatment area, a physician will examine you and order any tests needed to evaluate your condition. Depending on the type of illness or injury, a nurse may start an IV or obtain a blood or urine sample, or you may undergo diagnostic tests, such as X-rays or a CT scan. Our goal is to keep you comfortable and conduct tests as quickly as possible. Some tests take longer to complete, and we appreciate your patience as we work to provide you with the most prompt, courteous, and comprehensive emergency care we can offer.

Treatment
Your treatment will depend on your physician’s orders after the medical evaluation is complete. Our staff will keep you informed about what to expect during every part of the treatment process.

Admission or Discharge
Most patients are treated and discharged to go home from the emergency room. If you are admitted to the hospital, you will be transferred to a patient room and we will notify your primary care physician. If you do not have a physician, a physician on our staff – called a hospitalist – will coordinate your care while you’re at the hospital.

If your emergency room physician determines you can go home, you will receive written instructions about how to take care of yourself after you leave the hospital. It is important to follow these instructions, take all prescribed medications and schedule a follow-up appointment with your personal physician. If you do not have a primary care physician we can assist in making a follow-up appointment for you. If you have questions about your discharge instructions, please ask your nurse.