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Archive for the ‘Emergency Room’ Category
Where would you go if you or a loved one was suddenly injured? What if it happened at two o’clock in the morning? In either case you would need the services of a prepared emergency room. Emergency rooms are there for you when you need medical care right away. They have medical personnel on site at all hours of the day who are trained in not only medicine, but in providing urgent care in a timely manner.
Knowing which emergency room will serve you best in advance, will help out when an accident happens. In many cases, you or a loved one can even instruct an ambulance driver on which emergency room you should be taken to. When deciding on the emergency room that is best for you there are some factors that you should consider.
What to think about when choosing an ER.
- Technology- In our homes technology provides new televisions to entertain us and and advanced security systems to secure our possessions. In an emergency room technology saves lives. If you are comparing two emergency rooms, find out which one is newer or was remodeled more recently. Technological advances happen as quickly with medical equipment a they do with personal computers. Make sure that your emergency room operates on the forefront of technological advancement. It should have X-Ray machines, a CT Scanner and an MRI Machine among other equipment.
- Certification- Emergency medicine is a quickly establishing field. While all doctors can provide adequate healthcare, emergency training helps prepare a doctor to work with emergency patients. It may be a good idea to ensure that your emergency room has some certified physicians on staff. Do not think that all ER employees must be certified, this is unrealistic.
- Transfer Care- Sometimes an emergency room will provide initial care but then have to transfer a patient to another facility. Find out where your ER will send you and make sure that these are care providers you trust. On the other side of the coin, make sure that your personal doctor will be granted permission to care for you in the event that you are admitted to the hospital from the emergency room. While it is common for private practice doctors to treat their patients when they are in the hospital, you must make sure that your doctor will be able to. This will ensure that you get the benefit of the hospital’s resources along with care from your trusted physician.
- Insurance- Health insurance will be there to help cover costs if you have to go to the emergency room. Check in advance to make sure that your chosen emergency room will accept your insurance. This can save a lot of stress after the fact.
- Quality- There are performance reports administered at both the state and local levels. Check out how the hospital that hosts your emergency room is rated. A well rated hospital usally signals a quality emergency room.
At Kendall Regional Medical Center, our emergency care facility is prepared to provide efficient and effective care in a hurry. You can view up to date emergency room wait times 24 hours a day here. Our entire facility has received been accredited by the Joint Commission, a nationally influential non-profit group which certifies quality healthcare establishments. We hope that you evaluate us in your search for an emergency room. We know that if you do, you will see that our facility is the most capable in the area of providing expert emergency care. If you have any medical questions, feel free to contact out Consult-A-Nurse® hotline at 1-305-222-2200.
When you’re facing a medical emergency, there’s often not much time to think. That’s why it’s important to take the time to prepare for a trip to the ER—before you ever have an emergency. Although it sounds counterintuitive (after all, if you were prepared, would it really be an emergency?), taking a few steps to get ready beforehand can make your life much easier when it’s time to head to the hospital.
Before You Ever Go
Take the time to consider your family’s needs if there’s a medical emergency. Doing the legwork early makes a huge difference when you’re actually facing a crisis.
- Put together an emergency plan. If you have to take one family member to the emergency room, will the kids come with you? Set up a plan where a trusted neighbor or family member can act as a “go-to” person in case you need help in an emergency.
- Keep a running medical history. This step is especially important for anyone who has chronic health conditions or has recently undergone surgery. Make a list of any prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and any recent medical procedures. Also list any allergies, and the number for the family physician. These details can help the ER staff make a more accurate diagnosis.
- Know what necessitates an emergency visit. Post a list of conditions that require emergency treatment on the refrigerator. That quick guide will make an easy reference for anyone in the home, including babysitters or other caregivers.
- Get ready early. If a family member is chronically ill, pack overnight bags for that person and the caregiver. Include a toothbrush, change of clothes, and any “comfort items” like a favorite blanket or pair of slippers. These can come in handy if a patient is admitted to stay overnight.
- Take reasonable steps to prevent accidents. Although every accident and illness isn’t preventable, many common causes of ER trips can be avoided. Be sure to use proper safety equipment for sports and other recreational activities. Keep the pool secure, so that children can’t wander in unsupervised, and store household cleaners and medications securely.
- Get ICE cards for yourself and other family members. These cards contain critical information such as emergency contacts and information about medical conditions (such as diabetes). If you are a family member cannot speak for yourself in a medical emergency, the ICE card can give EMS staff an important tool for delivering the best care possible.
On Your Way
Once you’re headed to the hospital, it’s time to take a few more steps to make your visit less stressful—and the ER staff’s job easier.
- Bring your own entertainment. Even if the hospital consistently has low wait times, chances are, you’ll still spend some time in the waiting room. Take a book or magazine to entertain yourself. Encourage children to bring their favorite reading material, a coloring book, or other items that will promote quiet self-entertainment. Skip the video games and cell phone conversations.
- Call your primary care physician on the way. The ER staff may call to ask for medical records or other patient history. Start the process as soon as possible, and give your doctor time to collect the necessary information.
- Understand how the emergency room works. In the ER, patients are seen based on the urgency of their medical condition. This means that patients who come in after you, but who have more serious medical concerns, may be seen first. The triage system used in the emergency room was designed to ensure that every patient gets timely care. If you’re concerned about wait time, look for a hospital that offers Quick Care bays for non-urgent cases.
For more information about emergency medical care, please contact us at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point. Visit us online or call Consult-a-Nurse® at (727) 869-5498 for answers to your questions and free physician referrals.
Summer is many people’s favorite season. The days are longer and the weather is accommodating. Summer gives us a lot more chances to enjoy sports and the outdoors in general. Unfortunately sometimes more activity brings with it more accidents. Emergency rooms see significant increases in the number of patients they see between May and August. While it is always reassuring to have trained medical staff standing by in the event of accidents, it is better to avoid them altogether. Be aware that because children are more active during the summer, they as a group are increasingly more likely to be injured.
What brings the most people to emergency rooms?
- Head Injuries- Head injuries can have a variety of causes. Summertime activities like bike riding, contact sports, falls and playing on trampolines are some of the easiest ways to get a head injury. Head injuries can be anything from a slight bump to a severe concussion.
- Prevention- Preparation is key to preventing head injury. Be careful when you are playing outside. When children are involved, make sure that they are properly supervised. Also, remember safety equipment. Wear seatbelts in the car and helmets when you are riding bikes, skateboards or recreational vehicles. It is estimated that up to 85% of head injuries can be eliminated by wearing a helmet.
- Water Injuries- Summertime and swimming go hand in hand. Pools can be both fun and dangerous. Obviously with more swimming comes more cases of drowning, people taking in too much water or injuries as a result of horseplay, resulting in trips to the ER.
- Prevention- Once again, be careful and pay attention. Assign a life guard. This person is responsible for watching everyone and making sure they are safe. Also, do not dive into the shallow end of the pool; the potential for injury here is pretty obvious.
- Burns- From camp fires to holiday fireworks, summertime brings a lot more chances to come into contact with heat. The more we are outside, the more we may be inclined to participate in some of these activities which can lead to various degrees of burns.
- Prevention- There are many ways you can prevent a summertime burn. Just like a life guard, assign someone to be responsible for fire or fireworks. Multiple people trying to do the same thing can lead to confusion and accidents. Leaving responsibility to one person reduces the risk of injury. Also, do not drink alcohol while engaging in these activities. Emergency room doctors can all tell multiple stories about people getting burned because they were intoxicated. Alcohol makes you bolder and more likely to forget about safety. Emergency room visits tend to spike on Memorial Day and Fourth of July for this reason.
- Dehydration- Playing outside when it is hot leads to increased sweating. Increased sweating leads to dehydration. While this seems simple enough, lack of fluids brings as many or more people to the ER during the summer than any other injury. It is easy to become engaged in a game and forget to hydrate, especially for children.
- Prevention- It is easy to avoid dehydration! Drink plenty of fluids while you are playing or working outside in the heat. Stick to water and sports drinks, as they are the best way to replenish your body. Avoid drinks with caffeine and especially alcohol (as alcohol and games often lead to more injuries than dehydration) because these choices will help your body become dehydrated.
If you have questions about summer injury prevention, please contact us at Columbia Hospital. Visit us online or call Consult-a-Nurse® at 1-888-256-7694.
For most people, a visit to the emergency room of the local hospital isn’t on their to-do list for the day. They end up there because they have been in car accidents, or become suddenly and seriously ill, or been injured on the job.
But sometimes, a situation comes up where you have the presence of mind and the time to realize that you or a family member needs to make a trip to the ER. And when you know you will be going, there are steps – and items – you can take to make the experience easier for all involved.
Know when to go
Over 300,000 people visit the ER each year, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians. When in doubt, or if the patient is a child, call 911 if you feel you could have a life-threatening health situation on your hands.
The Emergency Care team at Columbia Hospital is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help keep families in our community healthy. If you are not certain that your condition requires emergency care, or if the patient is a child, here are some symptoms that should send you to the ER right away:
- Pain and/or pressure in upper abdomen or chest
- Shortness of breath
- Trouble breathing
- Vision changes
- Sudden severe pain
- Problems talking
- Suicidal feelings
- Bleeding that can’t be stopped
- Mental confusion
- Constant vomiting and/or diarrhea
What to bring
If you are taking someone to the ER, here are the items you should bring with you:
- The person’s medications (including over-the-counter and supplements) or a list
- ID card
- Medical insurance card
- If a child has swallowed poison, the container of the product ingested
- Paper and pen to take notes
- Patience – your family member may not be seen immediately if there are patients with more urgent medical needs
What to leave at home
There are some things that should not come to the ER with you, including:
- Jewelry
- The animal that bit the patient
- Cash
Remember, if you think you or a loved one is experiencing a life-threatening health condition, call 911 immediately.
If you have questions about what kind of injuries or illnesses merit a trip to the ER, to an urgent care clinic, or to your family physician; or would like a physician referral, contact Consult-A-Nurse® at 1-888-256-7694, or visit us online.
It can be tough to think ahead during a medical emergency, when your immediate safety is most important. However, planning for an emergency will not only make it easier to stay calm, but it can also help ensure that you and your family get the best care possible. One important step: research the hospitals in your area to select the emergency department that offers the highest quality care.
Why the ER Matters
In a life threatening emergency, it’s critical to call 911 and go to the closest hospital. However, in other cases it’s good to know a little about local hospitals. For instance, if you head to the ER for a broken bone or back problem, a hospital with a dedicated orthopedic center will likely have experts who specialize in your condition. Meanwhile, they’ll be equipped to provide follow-up care, so you won’t have to find another place to get physical therapy or other services.
It’s also important to remember that not all emergency rooms have the same facilities and medical staff. Some offer cutting edge technologies, along with multiple certifications in condition-specific treatment (chest pain or stroke care, for example). Although not all of these may be necessary for your specific treatment, they do indicate the hospital’s dedication to outstanding care:
- Certification as a Primary Stroke Center indicates that a hospital has met the Joint Commission’s rigorous standards for diagnosing and treating stroke. People with heightened risk for stroke will want to know which local hospitals have earned this certification.
- An Emergency Documentation Module (EDM) allows every caregiver at the hospital to easily access and update ER patients’ records. The doctor immediately has access to the patient’s triage information, along with any other vital signs, test results, and other important data.
- Commitment to delivering fast and accurate care shows in a hospital’s ER wait times. Hospitals that strive to reduce patient wait may revamp their ERs to include quick-care bays for less urgent cases. They may also advertise their wait times online, like Columbia Hospital does.
Emergency Care at Columbia Hospital
At Columbia Hospital, we know that our patients have a choice when it comes to their medical care. That’s why we strive to deliver the finest care using the latest medical technology. We’ve launched a multi-million dollar renovation of our emergency department (check out pictures of our progress on Facebook!). Combined with our eMAR system for electronically tracking patient medications and our EDM for seamlessly sharing patient data, the renovations allow us to deliver cutting-edge emergency care.
If you have questions about emergency medical treatment, please contact us at Columbia Hospital. Visit us online or call Consult-a-Nurse® at 1-888-256-7694 for answers and free physician referrals.
We’re having an unusually hot summer in Florida, according to meteorologists, and extremely high temperatures increase the risk of heat-related problems. But that’s just one of the potential dangers to children and adults this time of year. School is out, kids are playing, and adults are enjoying outdoor activities such as swimming, biking and golfing.
So that you can thoroughly enjoy your summer, here are seven tips that will help you and your loved ones stay out of the emergency room.
- Remain indoors during the hottest hours, if possible. In many places, this is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but in Florida, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. is a better bet. If you are outdoors at the pool or the beach, be sure to apply sunscreen or sunblock prior to exposure, and reapply every two hours. If you work out of doors, drink lots of water and take frequent breaks to prevent heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
- Erect layers of protection around your swimming pool. Keep sliding doors and pool gates shut, put up a fence or screen around your swimming pool, and install a pool alarm. Most importantly, keep a watchful eye on children at all times.
- Wear helmets. Protect your head when you are riding a bicycle, motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle or a horse; playing softball or baseball; and using a skateboard or a scooter. Head injuries are a top reason people visit the ER.
- Remove indoor trip hazards. Make sure there are no extension cords or fan cords in areas that can cause adults or children to trip. Get any other objects such as toys out of high-traffic areas.
- Check backyard play equipment. It should be securely anchored so it doesn’t fall over on a child; and free of sharp metal edges that can cause cuts or, if rusty, tetanus.
- Get inside if you can see lightning or hear thunder. In case you didn’t know it, Florida is the lightning capital of the world. About 10 people are killed by lightning in the state each year. It can strike from 15 miles away. So get out of the pool and off the golf course!
- Learn CPR. Knowing CPR may allow you to keep someone breathing until first responders arrive. You could make the difference between life and death in a near-drowning or cardiac arrest involving a family member or a friend. Or, you might save a grateful stranger.
Should you need it, the Columbia Hospital Emergency Department staff is trained and ready to help keep your family healthy. We have an average ER wait time of less than 10 minutes.
Are you on the go a lot during the summer? You can access medical information wherever you are with the iTriage application for your mobile device.
If you have an immediate emergency, please call 911. For general information or a physician referral, contact Consult-A-Nurse® at 1-888-256-7694, or visit Columbia Hospital online.