The YRMC ED team understands that medical emergencies are stressful. That’s why our team strives to make sure your ED visit is as smooth as possible. Here are the basic steps of an ED visit at either YRMC East or YRMC West:

• Emergency or Fast Track—When you arrive at a YRMC ED, a nurse will discuss your symptoms and take a brief medical history to determine if you should be treated as an emergency patient or if you should be assigned fast-track status ("triage"). Emergency patients have more complicated and possibly life-threatening illnesses or injuries while fast-track patients have less serious conditions, such as sore throats, rashes and minor injuries.
• Registration—Before you leave the ED, the registration process will be completed. Whether or not you have completed registration does not delay the delivery of care.
• Treatment—If you’re having a medical emergency, you’ll be seen by an ED physician and other medical professionals as soon as possible. Often, medical tests need to be done to correctly diagnose and treat you.
• Re-Assessment and Hospital Admission—After completing all tests, treatments, procedures, your providers—the ED physician and your physician—will decide if you should return home or if you should be admitted to the hospital. If you’re admitted to the hospital your physician—or a YRMC hospitalist—will take over your care from the ED team.
• Going Home and After-Care Instructions—People heading home after an ED visit, receive complete after-care instructions from YRMC’s ED team. Within 48 hours, all ED patients receive an automated call to ask about their ED experience, including follow-up instructions. People who respond that they are confused by the follow-up instructions or would like more information are contacted by a YRMC ED nurse.

 

Please bring a list of current medications (prescriptions, vitamins and herbals), list of medication allergies and insurance information. You also may want to bring a book or an activity to keep you and your companions occupied during your time at the ED.

 

Both YRMC EDs are committed to delivering excellent patient care, no matter what the illness or injury. Because our priorities are to save lives and care for patients, the most severely injured or ill people are seen first by members of the YRMC ED team.

 

Both YRMC ED’s work as efficiently as possible to address your medical needs. Please know that how long your treatment will take depends on a number of factors, including the:

• complexity of your medical problem;
• types of tests you need;
• number of patients—and the complexity of their medical conditions—in the ED at the same time as you; and
• availability of a hospital bed, if you’re going to be admitted to the hospital.

 

The ED team could be waiting for a treatment room to become available or for the results of diagnostic or lab tests. Additionally, the ED physician could be waiting for a return phone call from your physician. If you’re waiting but begin to feel worse, please tell a nurse immediately.

 

You may be asked not to eat or drink because of the tests you’re undergoing or if there is the possibility that surgery could be needed. After the ED physician evaluates you, please ask the doctor or your nurse if you’re able to eat and drink.

 

We understand the importance of having a family member or close friend with you during a medical emergency. Parents or guardians are welcome to remain at their child’s bedside in the ED. For adults, we ask that you keep your visitors to one to two people at a time. This will help maintain privacy and allow us to meet your medical needs.

If you have other visitors, they may remain in the ED lobby area. Please make sure all minors are accompanied by an adult while they are waiting in the ED. As much as possible, our ED team will keep friends and family informed about your care and treatment.

 

Many people think that physicians are employees of hospitals. In fact, at most hospitals, ED physician group practices contract with the hospital to provide emergency care. This means you’ll receive a bill for your medical care from the hospital and another from the ED physician. If you had x-rays or other radiology tests, you will also receive a bill from the radiologist who reviewed your test results.

 

Contact YRMC’s Health Information Management Department to get copies of your medical records.

 

YRMC’s Patient Financial Services can help you with questions regarding your bill.