ER Docs Now
ER Docs Now is a program that puts patients with a doctor as soon as they walk through the Emergency Room doors at Iredell Memorial Hospital.  

Whether the problem is big or small, we understand that people want to see the doctor as soon as possible. Having a doctor in triage, allows for a quick assessment, labs or medications to be ordered and a plan of care to begin within minutes. There are many factors that can determine a patient’s length of stay in the Emergency Department.

According to the American College of Emergency Physicians, most emergency room patients require some kind of diagnostic evaluation.  That means that the pharmacy, laboratory, radiology department and others work quickly to get test results, so that treatment can begin.  As a team, the Emergency and supporting departments work to continually improve turn around times.  They are successful because they all share a common goal.

ER Docs Now is currently available during the hospital’s peak emergency hours of 4:00 – 8:00 PM.  Outside of peak times, patients see a registered nurse in triage and then the physician once they are in a room within the Emergency Department. Your registration will be completed at your bedside where you can rest comfortably.

 
The Emergency Department          
The Emergency Department is staffed with skilled personnel 24 hours a day, every day of the year to treat injuries and emergency medical needs. The department is staffed by board certified Emergency Medical Physicians around the clock.

The Emergency Department has a four-bay, private triage area and 16 acute care beds. Cardiac and trauma patients also have designated areas within the department for optimal care.

All of our registered nurses are certified in advanced cardiac life support and pediatric advanced life support with nearly 60% having obtained certification in trauma nursing care. We also employ six sexual assault nurse examiners and two pediatric forensic nurses. Several of our nurses are certified in emergency medicine.  The goal is to have all of our RN staff complete this certification. 

Upon your arrival, a registered nurse in our private triage area will promptly evaluate you. To streamline your visit, when a room is available you will be taken to that room where you will be promptly evaluated by a registered nurse.  Your registration will be completed at your bedside where you can rest comfortably.

We utilize a technologically-advanced patient tracking system to further streamline your visit.  You will be given a badge that will track your location throughout the department. This allows for prompt treatment by emergency staff as well as staff in auxiliary areas such as laboratory and radiology that may be involved in your care. 

Our healthcare team works cohesively to serve our patients in the most efficient way possible. To ensure proper diagnosis and to provide you with the best care possible, you may be asked to wait for laboratory or radiology results prior to being discharged. Our average emergency room visit time from arrival to discharge is two hours and 27 minutes, that is 53 minutes below the national average. While you are waiting, we want you to be comfortable and entertained. All of our emergent care rooms are equipped with flat screen televisions and nourishment items are available. We also staff a patient representative daily from 3 p.m. to11 p.m. who can assist you in making travel arrangements and/or arrange contact with your family.

If applicable to your care, a centralized patient monitoring system is also available. This technology allows staff to monitor most vital signs and heart rhythms from a location in the nursing areas. Every effort is made to give all patients prompt treatment; however, our first responsibility is to provide immediate assistance to the more seriously ill or injured patient. We appreciate your understanding should this cause a delay.

Convenience Care Services
Because we realize accidents and illnesses do not always occur during your physician’s office hours, we offer a nine-bed convenience care area separate from the emergency department for the treatment of non-emergencies. 

The convenience care area is open from noon to 10 p.m. every day of the year. A physician’s assistant who is in direct contact with a board-certified emergency room physician regarding your care staffs this unit.

Upon your arrival, a registered nurse in our private triage area will promptly evaluate you. To streamline your visit, when a room is available you will be taken to that room where you will be promptly evaluated by a registered nurse. Your registration will be completed at your bedside where you can rest comfortably.

We utilize a technologically-advanced patient tracking system to further streamline your visit. You will be given a badge that will track your location throughout the department. This allows for prompt treatment by emergency staff as well as staff in auxiliary areas such as laboratory and radiology that may be involved in your care. 

Our healthcare team works cohesively to serve our patients in the most efficient way possible. To ensure properly diagnosing your complaint and providing you with the best care, you may be asked to wait for laboratory or radiology results prior to being discharged. Our average convenience care visit time from arrival to discharge is only one hour and 31 minutes. 

While convenience care should not take the place of a personal physician, we are pleased to provide this service for those times when it is not feasible to get an appointment with your regular doctor.

Every effort is made to give all patients prompt treatment; however, our first responsibility is to provide immediate assistance to the more seriously ill or injured patient. We appreciate your understanding should this cause a delay.