Emergency Medicine

If you have an emergency, call 911.

For NON-EMERGENCY information, please contact Emergency Department at 215-453-4674.

Welcome to the Emergency Department at Grand View Hospital. We know that most visits to the Emergency Department are unplanned. This may be stressful for you and the people who care about you. Please know that our staff is trained and experienced in providing quality emergency health care. Our goal is to meet your needs in the best and fastest way possible. This brochure will explain our process and treatment. This may be different from how you are seen at your doctor’s office.

Please do not eat or drink while waiting for evaluation or treatment. You may need medication that should be taken on an empty stomach. No food or drink is permitted in the treatment areas. For visitors, a vending machine is available in the hallway near the ED, and the cafeteria is on the second floor.

Quick Evaluation When You Arrive to Identify Most Urgent Needs
TRIAGE As soon as you enter the Emergency Department, see the receptionist. The receptionist will introduce you to a registered nurse, called a triage nurse. The nurse will check you to find out how serious your injury or illness is. This will decide in what order you will see the doctor. At this time, we will ask you to explain why you came to the Emergency Department.We will take your blood pressure, pulse and temperature. So the ED nurse and doctor can read this, we will record it in a computer.

In the Emergency Department, we see seriously ill or injured patients right away. This means you will need to wait if someone with a life-threatening or urgent need arrives after you. The nurse will send you directly to the treatment area if you need help immediately. If you are less serious, you will go to register (see the next page). While you are waiting, we may start some studies. This may shorten your visit.

How You Can Help in the Emergency Department

• Bring a list of current medications.
• Respect patient privacy.
• Call your regular doctor after your ED visit for follow-up care or any referrals that you may need.
• Ask questions if you do not understand something the ED staff does or tells you.
• Take any medications as ordered. Do not skip or take extra doses of medications.
• Provide complete, truthful insurance information. Remember that Grand View Hospital wants to help you. If you do not have enough insurance coverage or need help in paying your bill, we may be able to help you.
• Know that X-rays done in the ED are read by the ED physicians. ED physicians are skilled in reading X-rays. For your added safety, a radiologist will also read the films within 24 hours. If the reading of the radiologist is different than the ED doctor, we will notify you and instruct you further.
• Realize that the results of any cultures taken in the ED will be available in about 48 hours. If the results show you need further treatment, the ED staff will notify you.
• Know that the purpose of treatment provided in the ED is to screen and treat emergency conditions only. If your condition does not improve, you may need further evaluation. In these cases, you should either return to the ED or contact your doctor. Even if an evaluation in the ED is within normal limits, your condition can change. If your symptoms continue or get worse, see your regular doctor. If you do not have a primary or family doctor, call the Grand View Health Line at 215-453-9676.We can help you find the doctor that best suits your needs.

Registration
Sometime during your visit, you will need to register. This is different from checking in with the receptionist. If you are seriously ill or injured, this will happen after your condition is stable. Otherwise, you will register as soon as the triage nurse has seen you. To start your ED record, the staff will ask you questions. These include your name, address, age, insurance information and medical history.We will give you a list of your patient rights and responsibilities.You will be asked to sign a form allowing us to treat you.We will provide you with information regarding our confidentiality policy (HIPPA), and ask you to sign a paper saying you received it.

The order in which patients are called may seem unfair. This is because people may be sicker than they look. Some people hide pain and other symptoms. A patient’s insurance or ability to pay for services does not affect how soon they are seen. If you have questions about your insurance, please talk to your insurance company, HMO or family doctor.

If you feel you have been waiting for a long time, feel free to talk to the receptionist.We will be happy to find out the reason for delay. Please note, however, that we cannot talk about other patients. Federal law protects the privacy of every patient.

We know your time is valuable.We regret any inconvenience you experience due to delays.

Evaulation and Treatment
In the treatment area, a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant will evaluate and treat you. If needed, you will get tests so we can learn more about your illness or injury. In most cases, this takes between two and three hours. Some delays cannot be helped. This may be related to the testing needed, or preparation for testing (such as ultrasounds or CAT scans).You may need to wait for X-rays or lab work. This may take longer if many patients are in the Emergency Department. Your caregivers will tell you about the progress of your evaluation and treatment. If you have any questions, push your call bell, and we would be happy to assist you.

Evaluation and Decision-Making
After we have your test results, your doctor or another staff member will check you again.We will tell you if it is safe for you to leave. We may suggest that you stay in the hospital for further treatment. A specialist may help us make this decision.

Admission or Discharge
If you need to be admitted, you will go to a nursing unit. Usually, this unit specializes in the type of treatment you need. If no beds are available in the hospital, you may remain in the ED for some time. Rarely, a patient may need to go to another hospital for special care.

We splint most sprained or broken bones in the ED. Many patients are sent to the orthopaedist the following day. If you are well enough to go home, we instruct about the care you will need. This may include medications. Also, we will tell you whether you need to see your family doctor or a specialist. ED physicians may suggest that you receive additional studies or follow-up care from a specialist. If your insurance plan requires a referral to see a specialist, you will need to get this from your family doctor. Insurance companies do not allow ED doctors to make these referrals.

Visitors
For privacy and confidentiality, we prefer that family and friends remain in the waiting area. However, sometimes having a friend by your side may help to comfort you. In such cases, one person may stay with you during your evaluation. Adults may remain with young children. After your evaluation, one or two visitors may join you in the treatment area. They must remain with you.

Quality of Care
It is our goal to provide you with the highest quality care in the most efficient, caring way.We welcome your ideas.We would like you to fill out a patient satisfaction survey. Please feel free to contact the Emergency Department manager or medical directors.We would like to hear your thoughts regarding your care and safety while visiting our Emergency Department.

Charity Care/Financial Assistance
Grand View Hospital is proud of its mission.We’re always here to care for you whether or not you can pay for our services. Some patients don’t have insurance. Others are worried they may not be able to pay for part or all of their care. If this describes you, please talk to us.We will look at your income and money needs. Then we will suggest how you can get help.We can help you apply for the state Medical Assistance Program, which pays for health care. Also, we can set up a payment plan.

To learn more, the receptionist can arrange for you to speak with a Grand View Hospital Case Manager. You may also call the Hospital Patient Financial Services at 215-453-4608. We will share what you tell us only with people who need to know. Our staff will be kind and treat you with respect. Or click here for more information.