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Healthy You Archives |
Staying Fit
Inside the Emergency DepartmentWhat to expect if you or your loved one needs emergency care If you or your loved one needs care for a medical emergency, you can receive fast and thorough care at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network’s emergency departments. Here’s what you will experience when you need emergency care:When you arriveYou will first see a triage nurse. She will:
You will be escorted to a treatment room as soon as one is available. After a nurse evaluates your condition, an emergency medicine physician will care for you. Why you may waitYou don’t like to wait, especially when you have an injury or illness that is causing discomfort. If your wait is longer than a few minutes, please keep in mind:
About your careThe emergency medicine physician may ask you questions about your medical history, review any medical records from prior visits and speak with your family physician. Depending on your condition, you may need blood tests, X-rays or other diagnostic tests.Please keep in mind that it may take about an hour to determine the results of some tests. Others, such as ultrasounds or CT scans, must be scheduled. These can make your stay in the emergency department a little longer. Guidelines for visitorsWe will try to have your family visit as soon as possible. Please remember there may be other patients who are very ill, so please limit visitors to two at a time. We may ask your visitors to return to the waiting room while we complete your care.Verifying your health information and insuranceAt your bedside, a registration clerk will verify your personal information. So you can be seen as quickly as possible, please be sure to have your insurance cards ready. No one is ever denied emergency care. Co-payment may be required by your insurance company. The co-pay can be taken care of prior to discharge using cash, check or credit card. If you do not have insurance, we will give you information for contacting one of our financial counselors.When you’re ready to go homeA nurse will give you information on how to care for yourself when you return home. Feel free to ask questions about your condition and your care.If your illness or injury requires more testing or treatment, you may be admitted to the hospital, referred to your family physician or discharged with instructions that include directions for taking any prescribed medicine. This page last updated 2/12/08 04:08 PM
ARTICLE TOOLS:
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 November December 2008 Eating Healthy
Staying Fit
Caring for Mind and Body
Just for Women
Just for Men
Raising a Family
Heart of Healthy You
Protecting Your Health
Coping with Illness
Aging Well
Keeping Up to Date
Weight Control
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