Large outdoor sign that says: EMERGENCY

Dale Medical Center Emergency Dept.

The administration, physicians, and staff are proud that you have chosen Dale Medical Center for your healthcare needs. Our caring emergency room staff are ready for life's emergencies. Open 24 hours, seven days a week, our ER is staffed with board certified physicians. Our nurses are experienced caregivers with advanced certifications in cardiac life support, trauma, and pediatrics.

If you ever have a serious emergency, it's good to know that you'll be in great hands at Dale Medical Center. Our Emergency Room is a level III Trauma Center, which means our multi-disciplinary team is highly trained to deal with trauma, stroke, cardiac arrest and a number of other emergencies. We're also a part of the stroke network and are linked to specially trained neurologists 24/7.

Triage

Whether you bring yourself, a family member brings you, or you are brought to the hospital by ambulance, you will first speak with a nurse about why you are here. The first nurse that you speak with is called the triage nurse. He/she is the nurse that records the reason for your visit, medications you take and important information about your past medical history. This nurse will assess the severity of your injury or illness.

After triage you may be asked to wait in the emergency waiting room. Please understand that sometimes trauma victims with serious health problems or injuries require immediate and extensive treatment. Many patients arriving by ambulance or private vehicle present with life-threatening situations and are priority for the emergency staff. The ED must treat patients based on severity of their illness or injury - as determined in triage. Therefore, you may see patients who arrived later than you being treated before you, be assured that these decisions are carefully weighed, and we are considering everyone's best interest.

Emergency Department Treatment

The Emergency Department has 13 treatment rooms. You will be seen by a physician and may experience some or all of the following:
Ongoing care by a nurse assigned to you
Blood work that may take 1 hour or more to be completed
X-rays or other diagnostic imaging tests which must be examined by the ED doctor as well as a Radiologist to make a determination before you will know the results
An EKG

Depending on these test results, you may need:
Medications
IV fluids
A visit from a specialist
Stitches, Splints or Casts
Surgery
Admission to the hospital
Possibly transfer to another hospital for a service not available here

Depending on the required treatment and tests that may be required times will vary. The nurse that is caring for you can give you an idea of the length of time you can expect to wait.

Registration

After triage, a registration clerk will complete your registration. The clerk will collect insurance information and get consent forms signed. Before you leave, you will be asked for payment of your co-pay or to make arrangements for payment of your bill.

Explanation of Billing

You will receive two separate bills for your ED visit. Claims are filed separately by Dale Medical Center and the Emergency Physician Group.

Remember, this emergency department is available so we may help you and your loved ones when you need us most...When There Is A True Emergency.