Emergency Services

What to Expect During an Emergency Department Visit

Medical emergencies are usually atypical, rarely anticipated and never convenient. Aside from the anxiety and fear of dealing with a medical emergency, it is difficult to know what to expect when spending time in the Emergency Department as a patient, or with a loved one.

Discovering if an emergency exists may involve repeat examinations by the emergency team, lab tests, imaging studies, medications, consultation with other doctors and possible admission to the hospital.

The Emergency Department (ED) at Brotman Medical Center would like to share what a "typical" visit might be like for you.

Unlike an office visit to your regular doctor, there are no appointments in the ED. Triage allows the sickest patients to be seen first. After checking in with the triage nurse, you may be escorted to a bed in the emergency department, be placed in a chair within the department, or be asked to wait in the lounge until a bed becomes available.

Patients are cared for by doctors, nurses, and ED technicians who specialize in emergency medicine. You may also meet admitting representatives, secretaries, social workers, and volunteers all working to meet your needs.

Other providers involved in making medical decisions about your care during your stay may include your own doctors as well as specialist physicians such as orthopedists, or cardiologists.

Some patients can be seen, treated and sent home in a short period of time. For patients requiring diagnostic studies (blood and urine tests, x-rays, etc.) medications, repeat examinations, and consultation with other doctors, the average time in the ED is about 3 hours. Every effort is made by our emergency care team to evaluate and treat each patient promptly while keeping you informed and comfortable.

If admission to the hospital is required, your primary care physician, doctor on-call or a specialist doctor will provide admission orders. Occasionally, the hospital may be very full and an extended stay in the ED is necessary.

If you are able to go home, it is important to follow through with the plan of care outlined in our aftercare instructions. This includes follow-up with your primary doctor and other specialists. If you do not have a primary physician, referrals may be provided to doctors or clinics in the local area. Occasionally, you may be asked to return to the ED for a re-check or ongoing testing. Your emergency team will discuss this with you and provide you an opportunity to ask questions.

We hope to make your stay in the Emergency Department as safe, comfortable, and pleasant as possible. Tell us how we're doing— We want to exceed your expectations.