When there is an emergency, you want to know where to turn. At Hillcrest South, our team of physicians, nurses and staff, specifically trained in emergency medicine, are there for your family day and night. “Hillcrest South offers very convenient access to quality medical care,” explains Hillcrest South Emergency Department Medical Director Dr. Gavin Gardner. “It is also important to note that our hospital offers most of the same services that many of the larger hospitals do, but without the Emergency Department wait times that you may experience at those facilities.”
Dr. Gardner says, while situations are always changing in an Emergency Department, if families are not receiving prompt care as they would expect, he would like to know about it. “Patients should expect to receive the best medical care in Tulsa in a time frame that is reasonable,” says Dr. Gardner. “Obviously, the Emergency Department is an unpredictable place, but if patients and their family are not receiving what they believe to be superior care I would like to know about it, so I can correct any issues. Patients and their family should expect courteous staff that listens to them and addresses their concerns. They should expect an explanation of our findings when our testing is done.”
The successful formula behind the care delivered at the Hillcrest South Emergency Department lies in the team. “It all starts with the physicians and staff being committed to evaluating patients and obtaining the necessary tests in a timely fashion,” says Dr. Gardner of what sets Hillcrest South apart from other Emergency Departments. “We want the experience to be one that patients and family tell their friends and family about. It is about having pride in the work that we do and continually striving to be better.”
When a patient enters the doors at Hillcrest South, the team in the Emergency Department sees a member of their own family. “It is becoming part of the culture at this facility that we are not here to clock in, work our shift and leave,” shares Dr. Gardner. “We are here to provide a service that we are proud of when we go home. When this desire to be the best becomes part of the culture it is easy to work together as a team to provide our services to our patients and their family.”
For patients needing further medical attention and admittance into the hospital, Dr. Gardner and his team makes sure everything is handled with the utmost attention to detail in their transition. “Communication between the nursing staff and physicians is an important aspect of this,” he adds. “I mentioned culture before, and it applies here as well. We have a culture in our Emergency Department that cultivates open discussion between the nursing staff and physicians that allow for careful and appropriate transfer of care. I cannot say enough positive things about the admitting services at this facility and that is an enormous benefit when it comes to admitting patients here. All of the services from the hospitalists to the surgeons have been extraordinary to work with. They are a tremendous help in making the transition from Emergency Department patient to hospital patient seamless.”