About Our Services
What to Expect
All patients who come to the emergency department will receive a screening exam performed by a medical professional.
Upon arrival, you will be greeted by registration clerks or an emergency department technician and asked to provide some basic demographic information and photo identification.
After completing the registration process, you will be seen by the triage nurse, who will assess your vital signs and collect a brief history of your current problem, as well as current medications and allergies. It is very important that you let the triage nurse know all the medications you take at home. This includes any over-the-counter medications or herbal remedies.
What is Triage?
Triage is a French word that means "to sort." The duty of the triage nurse is to make sure the patients with the most serious injuries or illnesses are seen first. We do not see patients according to the time that they arrive in the emergency department, but according to the seriousness of their injury or illness. Please be aware that patients with less urgent conditions may have longer wait times if patients arrive with life-threatening or more serious injuries or illnesses.
As soon as one becomes available, you will be escorted to a treatment room. If you are asked to wait in the waiting room until a treatment room becomes available:
- Check with the triage nurse before using the restroom, in case a specimen is needed to help diagnose your condition.
- Do not eat or drink anything before checking with the triage nurse.
- Let the triage nurse, ER technician or registration clerk know if there are any new symptoms or changes in your condition.
How long will my visit take?
While in the emergency department, your care team may order a few diagnostic tests. These tests have an approximate turnaround time of:
- Blood test: 1 hour
- Urine test: 30 minutes
- X-rays: 30 minutes – 1 hour
- Ultrasound: 45 minutes – 1 ½ hours
- CT scan: 30 minutes – 2 hours
These times are not exact and may vary depending on the type and number of tests ordered and current patient volumes.
If you are experiencing an emergency, dial 9-1-1.