Emergency Services

Our 24-hour Emergency Department (ED) is fully equipped to handle most medical emergencies. We are the only full-service emergency department within a radius larger than 30 miles. Due to this, our ED is one of the busiest in the region, with over 50,000 annual visits.

Physicians and physician's assistants are available in our Emergency Department 24 hours a day. The department is staffed by registered nurses who are trained in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), trained vocational nurses, and support staff who receive continual training in the use of life-saving equipment and techniques. Our Staff has 24-hour access to laboratory, radiology, respiratory, and other support services.

What to Expect During Your Visit

We understand that a trip to the emergency room is a stressful experience. Our goal is to provide excellent service and compassionate care to all patients and ensure all of your needs are met before you leave.

When you arrive in the Emergency Department, you will be greeted by a staff member who will ask for your name, date of birth, and the reason for your visit. After being called into a private room, a triage nurse evaluate you to understand your condition and determine the severity according to our triage levels. Our triage level system prioritizes cases according to the following:

• Level 1: Immediate, life-threatening (Example: patient's heart has stopped or patient is not breathing)
• Level 2: Emergency, potentially life-threatening (Example: patient involved in a major accident with severe injuries or patient is having difficulty breathing)
• Level 3: Urgent, not life-threatening (Example: patient has severe abdominal pain)
• Level 4: Semi-urgent, not life-threatening (Example: patient with an earache or a minor cut requiring sutures)
• Level 5: Non-urgent, needs treatment when time permits (Example: patient with minor symptoms or needing a prescription renewal)

Wait Times

Your wait time will depend on several factors including how busy the department is at the time of your visit, the number of patients and the severity of their conditions, and the severity of your own condition. Additionally, if an ambulance arrives at the Emergency Department and the needs of those patients are more urgent than patients in the waiting room, the ambulance patients will be seen first.

To expedite your visit while you are waiting for a treatment room, the nurse may arrange for certain lab tests and/or x-rays to be done based on your illness or injury. This is meant to save time, as the physician and physician's assistant will be able to treat you more quickly if the test results are readily available.

Why Are Patients Who Arrived After Me Being Seen Before Me?

The Emergency Department does not function on a first come, first serve basis. Our services prioritize patients with the most critical needs first. We understand that waiting can be frustrating and we appreciate your patience as we tend to individuals with critical and life-threatening conditions. Even though you may not have the most critical needs, we do understand that you require care as well and our goal is to treat everyone as quickly as possible. Please do not leave without being seen by a physician or physician's assistant. Your health is important to us.

Emergency Department Extension

To treat semi-urgent (Level 4) and non-urgent (Level 5) patients in a timely manner, we have a separate area designated for these patients that is open between 11 AM -11 PM. This area is staffed with a physician's assistant and a nurse. The purpose of this area is to treat and discharge patients with less critical needs in a shorter time frame.

Community Resources

Are you in search of home health care, a dialysis center, or other local healthcare resources? View our Community Resources List to learn about medical services offered in and around our community.

If you or a loved one requires immediate medical care, please visit our Emergency Department for assistance.