What to Expect in the Emergency Department

If you feel this is a life-threatening emergency, please call 9-1-1. You may request that the ambulance take you to St. Luke's.

Order of Care

Triage: Upon your arrival, your condition will be evaluated based on how life- threatening your condition is. Due to the nature of emergencies, those patients with life- threatening illness or injury will be treated first even if you arrived before that individual. As you are triaged, the nurse is assessing your medical condition to allow our medical team to determine your medical condition, treatment needs and/or referral based on the severity of your illness or injury. Please understand that waiting periods can occur in the Emergency Department. Our patient advocate is available to keep you informed and can provide you assistance if needed.

You can expect to be asked about the following when you first arrive:

• Current medical condition and symptoms
• Previous medical care and medical history, including your physician’s name
• Current prescriptions or over-the-counter medications
  

Registration: Registration forms help us create a record of your history, diagnosis and treatment. You or a family member will be asked to sign a consent form that will give us permission to treat you. Financial information will be requested at this time.

Tests: All St. Luke’s hospital-based Emergency Departments have the necessary resources to diagnose your medical condition. You may have had tests performed at your physician's office, however, these will not provide us accurate information about your current situation. Some conditions may require further testing, in which case you may be admitted.

Quality of Care

Medical Staff: You can rely on our staff of board-certified or board-eligible physicians, nurses, technicians, patient advocates and other support staff members.

Visiting and Accompanying a Patient: To provide the best care for our patients, there are times when we may have to limit visitors in the treatment area. We appreciate your help in respecting this request.

Going Home

Discharge: Instructions will be given to the patient (and support person if requested) verbally and in writing about follow-up care and medications. Patients are responsible for their follow-up care after leaving the Emergency Department and should make any follow-up appointments with their primary care physician or specialist as directed.

Payment:

• Visits are billed as hospital emergency room services
• Medical insurance accepted (ER co-payment is based on your insurance plan)
• Workers’ compensation accepted
• Credit card or cash accepted
• Medicare accepted, co-insurance applies
  

Billing: Depending on the treatment the patient received, there may be separate bills sent, one for the services provided by the hospital and others for services provided by the physician(s). Please note these are not duplications and will need to be paid separately.

Other Community Emergency Center^® and Emergency Department Locations:

Find a Location by accessing online maps to locate the best facility for your needs.