The department operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with the mission of providing patients high-quality, compassionate emergency medical care, with special attention to minimizing pain and supporting accompanying family members.
The care process in the Emergency Department
A. Arrival and registration: Upon arrival, patients should register at the reception desk. The administrative staff will create a medical record and refer (triage) the patient based on his/her condition to the appropriate medical service department: Surgical ER, Internal Medicine ER, Ambulatory Care, or Orthopedics ER.
B. Nursing reception: The nurse will ask the patient to provide information about his/her condition. Most of the time, the nurse will take vital signs. As necessary, the patient will undergo blood tests, an electrocardiogram, or X-rays. Intake is based on the urgency of the patient's condition during the initial screening and not necessarily according to arrival time.
C. Physician examination: The doctor will examine the patient and decide whether to perform additional tests or consult with specialists. The doctor will decide whether the patient will be hospitalized or discharged.
D. Tests and/or consultations: Many patients require further medical testing and/or expert opinions. After tests are performed, the patient needs to wait for the results for one to two hours, or more. Consultation wait times are one to two hours, possibly longer.
E. The doctor's decision regarding the patient
The doctor will make a decision about continued patient treatment and/or discharge according to test results.
- Discharge: The patient receives a release letter summarizing test results and recommendations for continued treatment.
- Hospitalization: The patient will be transferred to the inpatient unit once a bed is available. During the course of the patient's stay in the ER, he/she is entitled to full medical and nursing care.
Important: Wait times vary depending on each patient's condition and testing. Delays may occur if seriously ill or injured patients need to be given high priority for treatment.
What to bring to the ER
- All medical information available, such as EKG results
- A list of medications taken and, if possible, the drugs themselves
- Glasses and/or hearing aids; if possible, remove contact lenses ahead of time
- Phone number of a family member to call if necessary
- A family or friend to escort you. If you need translation into Hebrew, bringing a Hebrew-speaking escort is recommended
- A cell phone and charger; there are designated phone-charging areas and a public WiFi network
- Avoid bringing valuables (including jewelry)
