Regardless of what day-to-day life deals you, Hillcrest Hospital South’s full service Emergency Room (Hwy 169 and 91st St.) is ready and waiting to help.

Armed with state-of-the-art emergency medical equipment, our board-certified physicians and staff know that in an emergency, every second counts. You can trust that when you enter the doors of our ER, your wait time will be as short as possible and that you will receive excellent, thorough care.

What to Expect in the Emergency Department

Arrival & Triage

Upon arrival at the Hillcrest Emergency Department (ED), you will be greeted by a member of our staff who will ask for basic information in order for you or your loved one to be quick-admitted, or admitted on a preliminary basis. You will need to sign a consent form for treatment, and for children under 18, consent of a parent or legal guardian is required.

When you arrive you will be seen by a triage (tree-azh) nurse who determines the order in which patients need attention. This nurse may take your pulse, blood pressure, temperature and a brief medical history. There are times when a urine test is needed so if you need to use the restroom please communicate with the nurse.

In emergency situations, patients are not seen on a “first-come, first-serve” basis. Instead, they are seen in the order of the severity of illness or injury. For example, heart attack patients and near-drowning victims are seen before patients with cuts or broken bones.

Children

If your child is the patient, you are encouraged to accompany him or her to the examination room. All Hillcrest Medical Center ED staff members have photo IDs. Please, DO NOT hand your child over to anyone without proper identification, or to anyone who asks you to wait in the lobby when your child is taken for testing.

Food and Beverages

Patients who are waiting in the ED are asked to refrain from eating or drinking anything (except water) before examination by a physician. No food or beverages will be allowed in the examination room.

Tests and X-rays

To expedite your care, laboratory testing and X-rays may be ordered by the triage nurse and completed while you are in the waiting area. If you feel the need to use the restroom, please wait until you have talked to the triage nurse (we may need a urine sample for testing). If at any time during your wait in the lobby you feel your condition worsening, please ask the front desk for a triage nurse.

Diagnosis & Treatment

Once you have been taken to the exam room you will be evaluated by a nurse before you see a

provider. If you are already taking medication, be sure to tell the emergency nurse or physician

before your next scheduled dose. Typically after the examination the doctor may order tests to

help diagnose your condition.

These tests and procedures take time and we do our best to keep you updated on the progress. On occasion, several different tests may be given that add to your length of stay. Also, depending on the nature of your illness or injury, physicians from other specialties may be called upon to assist you. Once you are diagnosed, the physician will determine if you will be treated and released or admitted to the hospital.

Updates

We do our best to keep you updated on wait times. Please keep in mind that we are continuously receiving patients via ambulance through a separate entrance. Wait times may change based on the number of patients we receive. Proper medical care takes time. After you have been seen by a physician, it may take some time before a decision can be made about your status. Your physician may be waiting for one or more of the following:

Results of lab tests
X-ray interpretation
Observation of any changes in your condition
Reassessment of your condition
Observation of the effects of any treatment, e.g., medications
A bed assignment (if you are admitted)