The emergency medicine team at CGH Medical Center is here to help people with stroke symptoms, heart attacks, pregnancy complications, injuries from car accidents, sports injuries and other life-threatening medical issues. Through it all, our team remains both prepared and level-headed. Should the unthinkable happen to you and you start looking for an emergency room you can trust, CGH Medical Center is here.
Emergency care on the way to the hospital
We have over 40 highly trained EMS professionals ready to provide prompt emergency transport service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Our trusted EMS team springs into action just as soon as a call from 911 comes through. They'll speed to your location, and once they arrive, they're qualified to perform emergency care services, including:
- Applying dressings
- Cleaning wounds
- Medication delivery
- Monitoring cardiac rates
- Resuscitation
- Starting an IV
Expert emergency care you can trust
Once you arrive at CGH Medical Center, your transport team will confer with our emergency room team, sharing what they found and what therapies have been provided. Then your ER physician will work hard to help restore you to good health. And our nurses and technicians will talk with and support your family while you're getting the therapies you need.
What to Expect
The CGH Medical Center Emergency Department provides personalized, private care and comfort for our patients.
The 22,500 square foot department features:
- 26 treatment rooms
- Two trauma rooms
- Six easy care treatment bays
- Three triage rooms
- A streamlined patient registration and triage process
We know that a visit to the Emergency Department (ED) can be stressful so here are some things you can expect during your stay. You will be cared for by team of individuals including your provider, nurses and nursing assistants. During your visit, your care team may ask you to change into a gown. They cannot complete a full assessment until you have changed. In addition, certain tests require that patients be in a gown. While you are here your provider may order tests such as blood or urine tests, x-rays, CTs or ultrasounds.
Your results should be available within:
- 1 hour for most blood and urine tests
- 1.5 hours for most x-rays, CTs or ultrasounds
Please bring with you:
- A thorough list of all of your current medications, including dosages. Keep this in your purse or wallet. The paramedics or ER staff can use it to determine how to treat you best for your medical conditions
- A list of any allergies
- Any power of attorney or living will documentation
- Most importantly, please provide us with a full account of everything that brings you to the ED. Your story provides valuable information for your medical care team. Please relay all information in as much detail as possible.
While You Are Waiting
- Please refrain from eating or drinking unless your provider or nurse has said it is okay. We also ask that your visitors do not bring outside food into your room.
- We are a non-smoking hospital. Smoking receptacles are located near the ED entrance only. If you or your visitors must smoke, please use this area.
- Staff will be in your room to check on you often but please use your call light if you need anything between their visits.
Patient Safety
We realize that patients in the ED are not feeling their best and may be more likely to fall. To ensure your safety, we ask that you:
- Call for help while moving in bed, walking to the bathroom or at any time you are up and around.
- Keep the side-rails of your bed up at all times.
- Move slowly when getting up from a sitting or standing position.
Making emergencies less stressful
There are two key steps you can take to ease the work of your emergency team.
Reflective address signs help EMS teams find your home. Our 18-inch, double-sided signs are blue with white, reflective numbers that can be put on the sign either vertically or horizontally. Holes are pre-drilled for easy installation, and they are fade resistant. Download the order form. All proceeds from the sales will benefit the CGH Ambulance Community Services Core Group.
To find out more about our ER physicians and the other members of our emergency team, visit our provider directory. And to learn more about how to control chronic conditions so they don't erupt into medical emergencies, visit our health library.