When to Go to the Emergency Room

Several conditions and symptoms warrant immediate attention by professionals specially trained in emergency medicine because they require rapid, advanced treatments only available in a hospital setting:

  • Head or eye injuries
  • Deep cuts
  • High fevers
  • Fevers with rash
  • Repeated vomiting
  • Broken bones and dislocated joints
  • Serious burns
  • Bleeding that won't stop or open wounds
  • Seizures without a previous diagnosis
  • A sudden change in mental state
  • Symptoms of a stroke or cardiac arrest

When You Arrive

When patients check into a Tower Health Emergency Department (ED), the time of arrival is noted and a medical professional (physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner) strives to see, evaluate, and treat them within 30 minutes. Our goal is to be efficient and thorough. We respect everyone's time, but at no means seek to rush anyone through the process.

Please note that the wait time and duration of each visit will vary, depending on the nature of the illness or injury and the unpredictable volume of patients requiring emergency care at any given time.

While the goal is to initially see every patient within 30 minutes of their noted arrival, the most severe cases will always receive immediate attention.

Wait Times

The ED average wait time is provided as an informational service to the public. It is approximate, and based on a rolling average that is updated four times an hour and does not represent the actual current activity in the ER waiting room.

The ED wait time represents the time it takes from arrival until a patient is initially seen by a Clinical Professional (Physician, Physician Assistant, or Advanced Practice Nurse). Patients are triaged upon their arrival in the ED. They are then seen by a Clinical Professional in an order based on their complaint, condition, and the reason for their visit.

Should you have any questions about our commitment, please ask any of our Emergency Department staff.