emergency services

We’re here when you need us most.

 

The Rome Memorial Hospital Emergency Department is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide emergency medical care to infants, children, adults and the elderly.  Highly trained professionals deliver exceptional care to more than 26,000 people each year.  Our doors are open to everyone who needs us, regardless of ability to pay for care.

 

The Emergency Department is staffed by board certified/board eligible Emergency Medicine physicians and nurses certified in advanced cardiac life support.  As needed, they can call upon the skills of specialists in the areas of cardiology, surgery, orthopedics, otolaryngology, ophthalmology, urology and pediatrics.  Social service assistance, lab services, medical imaging and cardiopulmonary services are also available for emergency patients 24 hours a day. 

 

No one plans to have an emergency, so each patient arrives without an appointment. That can sometimes mean long waits for those with less serious problems if the ER has patients with life-threatening conditions that require a lot of tests & treatments.

 

We know when you are sick or injured, waiting is not easy. Yet, we ask for your patience.

 

The Triage Process

 

Nurses let people cut in line in the Emergency Department.  It’s a practice we call “triage.” During triage we sort patients by the seriousness of their medical problems to determine who needs immediate treatment.

 

Who gets to go first?

 

o     People with life-threatening problems and anyone who arrives by ambulance.

 

o     Then, everyone else based on severity of the problem and available space.

 

The triage process begins when you are examined by a registered nurse. During this exam, the nurse checks temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure. The nurse will discuss your present illness, past medical history and other pertinent information such as allergies and immunization status.

 

During this initial evaluation, the nurse will determine if you require immediate attention or if you are stable enough to wait while others with more serious problems are treated.

 

Big Emergencies

 

If you require immediate attention, our team of professionals will promptly begin assessing your condition to determine an initial diagnosis. The Emergency Department physician may recommend lab, cardiopulmonary or medical imaging testing.

 

It can take up to two hours or more to receive test results, and depending on the results, the physician may order more tests.  Throughout your visit, you will be under the care of our specially-trained emergency nurses.

 

In the meantime, a clerk from the Patient Registration Department will visit with you to gather information to establish your medical record.

 

Following diagnosis and treatment in the Emergency Department, you may be well enough to go home. We will discharge you with a detailed care plan and instructions to follow-up with your physician.

 

If your condition requires hospitalization, your physician will admit you to one of the hospital’s inpatient units for continued testing and treatment and/or observation.  Sometimes the hospital’s beds are full and there are delays moving patients to a room upstairs. The ER staff will see to your needs until a bed is available.

 

In some cases, patients must be transferred to other facilities to receive specialized medical care that is not available at Rome Memorial Hospital.  Our staff will stabilize you before you are transported to another facility.

 

Little Emergencies

 

We know even little emergencies are a BIG cause of stress when you don’t feel well. We regret the wait you face as we move more serious cases to the front of the line.

 

A trained Emergency Department nurse will conduct an initial evaluation.  If your symptoms do not require immediate attention, you will then meet with a Patient Registration clerk to establish your medical record.  After registration, you may be directed to an exam room or to the waiting room until an exam room is available.

 

We do check on patients who are waiting for their turn to be seen by the doctor. However, if your problem does get worse and you need immediate attention, please ask for a nurse.

 

Once in an exam room, an Emergency Department physician or a physician assistant/nurse practitioner, will examine you.  Lab, cardiopulmonary or medical imaging tests may be ordered to assist in the diagnosis.  It can take up to two hours or more to receive test results, and depending on the results, the physician may order more tests.

 

Most patients with minor injuries or illnesses are able to go home after their ER visit. We will discharge you with a detailed care plan and instructions to follow-up with your physician.

 

We have a physician assistant/nurse practitioner on staff between 1-9 p.m. to help reduce wait times for patients who have less severe problems.

 

Family Welcome

 

People worry about their loved ones in an emergency. In most cases, one family member can come into the Emergency Room. However, family may be asked to wait while the patient is being examined. 

 

Because our first priority is our patients, we often get wrapped up in our work. Family members can check at the desk to see if their loved one is ready for family to be in the ER. The patient may also ask the nurse for his or her family member to be let into the ER.

 

Understanding Your Bill

 

There are at least two bills associated with an ER visit, one from the hospital covering the equipment, supplies, and the care provided by our staff, and another from the physician or physician assistant. You may receive another bill if a radiologist or other specialist is involved.

 

When Every Second Counts

 

Rome Memorial Hospital has an excellent record in treating heart attack patients. We beat the 30-minute national average for delivering life-saving drugs to our patients by more than 10 minutes. 

 

Patient Satisfaction

 

We value your feedback and use it to improve our services. Press Ganey, a national patient satisfaction firm, mails surveys to a sample of our patients.  If you receive a survey in the mail, please complete it and mail it back so we can make changes to enhance the care we provide to you.

 

To enhance patient satisfaction, Rome Memorial Hospital plans to open a new Emergency Department in early 2006 to better accommodate the growing number of people who turn to us in times of crisis.  The newly constructed facility will nearly triple our current size.

 

 

Rome Memorial Hospital OpenED its new 10,500 Square foot

Emergency Department in 2006

 

  • The new construction nearly tripled the size from 3,700 square feet to 10,500 square feet, allowing more patients to be treated with reduced waiting time.

  • The new facility will be equipped with advanced technology, equipment and supplies, integrated into the design to provide maximum efficiency.

  • Treatment rooms increase from eight to 14 and are equipped for maximum flexibility.  Each room has a primary use, but allows other types of treatment as well. 

  • Treatment rooms include:  six general treatment rooms, two cardiac rooms, two trauma rooms, a behavioral health room to provide a safe environment for patients who are a risk to themselves or others, a gynecological room with its own bathroom to provide a more private environment for victims of sexual assault and two Fast Track rooms for minor emergencies.

  • The two Fast Track rooms for patients who have non-life threatening illnesses.  This design allows the hospital to use physician assistants in treatment in order to reduce the amount of time that patients with non-emergent needs can be seen more quickly.

  • Each treatment room is private with solid walls and a solid exterior door to protect the patient’s privacy from other passing patients and their families. 

  •  Polarized glass on the interior wall allows nursing staff to monitor patients from the central station. The polarized glass blocks patients on the other side of the department from seeing into the opposite patient rooms.

  • An exterior corridor surrounds the entire unit, providing secure access for patients’ families while protecting patient privacy.  Less traffic in the central work area will create a calmer environment in the busy department.

  • Ambulances and patients who arrive by private car will have separate entrances to the Emergency Department, offering patients greater safety and efficiency in accessing the facility.

  • An expanded, sky lit reception area offers a more comfortable setting for patients waiting for treatment.

  • The reconfigured registration area offers more privacy for patients during registration and triage.  Patients will be able to register away from the main flow of traffic.

  • A dedicated conference area offers patients a private area for consultation with their physician or other healthcare professional.

  • Two pairs of cardiac/trauma rooms have a movable divider.  So in the event of a mass casualty event, the dividers can be removed to create more space.

  • The design provides dedicated space for emergency medical personnel to better accommodate their needs to complete paperwork, etc.

  • Increased storage space will decrease congestion and ensure equipment is readily available when it’s needed.  Frequently used supplies will be stored in patient rooms for quicker access.

  • Larger patient rooms will allow family members to wait more comfortably with their loved ones.  Rooms will be equipped with televisions to help patients’ pass the time while waiting for diagnostic test results and treatment.

  • Patients who are being admitted will be transported to the nursing units via a new private elevator, closer to the Emergency Department.

 

 

 

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