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Emergencies
Reid's Emergency Department, one of the busiest in the state, sees about 50,000 people a year. To keep up with that demand, Reid has taken many steps over the years including adding physicians and shifts, and continually focusing on maintaining and improving communication with patients and their families.
- The average stay in the department of 120 minutes is below the national average of 147 minutes. The average wait to see a doctor nationally is 47 minutes; it is about 35 minutes on average at Reid.
- Reid's emergency team benefits from a staff of long-term physicians, nurses and support staff. Reid has residency-trained, board-certified emergency specialists around the clock.
- E.D. doctors are specially trained in emergency care. An E.M. specialist must take a three-year residency after medical school and then pass an oral and written exam by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. They must also meet continuing education requirements.
Not sure if you need the Emergency Department?
When to Go
How should someone decide if they need to go to E.D. or just make an appointment to see their doctor? Are there any rules of thumb to follow? "An emergency is basically whatever the patient thinks it is," said Michael Baldwin, M.D., director of Reid's Emergency Department. He does offer some advice for people facing the decision of whether urgent care is needed:
- Call your primary care physician for advice. Most primary care physicians have on-call arrangements if it's after hours.
- If you don't have a primary care physician, get one. Having a doctor who knows you and is familiar with your health needs will improve the overall quality of your care.
- Do NOT call the Emergency Department. Emergency staff cannot offer any medical advice over the phone.
Another thing to remember: Emergency care is generally more costly because it requires sophisticated equipment and staff that routinely face non-routine circumstances.
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