What to expect in the emergency department

“The emergency department is an area in the hospital where we can quickly assess patients, make them better, or decide they’re going to need additional testing or management and admit them to the hospital,” says Jeffrey Oyler, M.D., an emergency medicine physician at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital.

Triage

Every emergency department patient is triaged to assess the severity of their condition. This process helps the care team prioritize treatment. Triage takes into account the patient’s vital signs and complaints.

Dr. Oyler says checking vital signs is the most important part of triage. They are essential for assessment and cannot be faked.

The patient is then categorized based on the Emergency Severity Index:

• Level 1 – Immediate: life-threatening
• Level 2 – Emergency: could be life-threatening
• Level 3 – Urgent: not life-threatening
• Level 4 – Semi-urgent: not life-threatening
• Level 5 – Non-urgent: needs treatment as time permits

“It’s hugely important for us to establish who is the sickest, so we can provide the interventional care they need immediately, then work our way down the list as fast as we can,” Dr. Oyler says.

Based on the assessment by the triage nurse, the patient will either be:

• Taken to an exam room. If all rooms are full, that person will be next in line for a room. Dr. Oyler emphasizes that patients are seen based on severity, not arrival time.
• Offered a fast-track service. The fast track handles minor emergencies more efficiently. It doesn’t include all emergency department services. People in the waiting room may see patients with minor injuries being called back before those with more serious injuries. Still, they are actually being treated in the fast-track area, Dr. Oyler explains.

Behind the waiting room doors

“A quiet waiting room is something we ideally love to have, but it is not a reflection of what is going on in the back,” Dr. Oyler says. “You can have one person or 20 people in your waiting room, but you could have complete chaos in the back with very, very sick patients.”

Even when the waiting room looks quiet, ambulances may still be bringing in patients behind the scenes. New arrivals can impact wait times at any hour. “You can have an incredibly long wait in our emergency department if you show up with a non-life-threatening condition that could have waited for treatment at your primary care physician’s office the next day,” he says.

“We are sensitive to the fact that you are waiting,” Dr. Oyler says. “We want you to get back to a room and be seen as fast as possible, but we’re also prioritizing care for people who absolutely have to have it right then and there.” Dr. Oyler stresses the importance of patience if your illness or injury is not life-threatening. “We know you’re suffering, and it’s not what we desire, but when your time comes, you’re going to get the service you wanted.”

If your condition is not an emergency, visit urgent care or your primary care doctor to save time and money. Insurance co-pays are usually more expensive at the emergency department compared to co-pays at other facilities.

Learn more about emergency services across the Piedmont system. Visit our locations map to find an emergency room near you.

Need to make an appointment with a Piedmont physician? Save time, book online.