How long will you wait in an emergency? Auburn Regional Medical Center (ARMC) has changed its Emergency Department (ED) processes to help reduce the time you'll wait. The changes are timely -- across the country emergency rooms are crowded and staff can be busy trying to keep pace with the number of patients seeking care. The problem is getting worse: One recent study by Harvard Medical School researchers found that emergency room waiting times in the United States increase every year. The researchers say wait times rose an average of 36 percent between 1997 and 2004.

At ARMC, we've made some major changes in the ED to help make sure patients experiencing serious medical problems and those with less acute injuries or illness get the care they need more quickly and efficiently.

"We analyzed processes throughout the hospital and found ways that we could be more responsive to our ED patients," says Stephen Anderson, MD, Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at ARMC. "For example, the hospital has a new Fast Track program with dedicated staff for patients with nonemergency medical conditions. We've relocated some related and support staff to the ED to streamline emergency care. And our new stroke teams and TeleStroke system are enhancing our ability to evaluate patients with stroke symptoms."

Coordinated Urgent Care
Nurses trained to evaluate the severity of patients' conditions prioritize all patients who come to the ED at ARMC. Patients facing acute problems receive care as quickly as possible from the main ED staff. Nurses direct those who have rashes, muscle strains and other nonemergency medical conditions to a separate waiting area where they receive services from the Fast Track team in one of the program's three treatment bays within the ED.

Additional administrative and laboratory staff are now working in the ED to speed up admissions and laboratory testing for all patients, whether they need emergency or urgent care services.

"The Fast Track program helps improve care for all of our patients seeking treatment in the Emergency Department," says Andy Robottom, RN, Director, Emergency Department at ARMC. "Patients assessed with minor or non-emergent injury or illness should see a reduction in the long and sometimes frustrating waiting times. Fast Track, with its dedicated care team, can provide prompt, efficient and focused medical attention and nursing care. At the same time, the main ED team can focus their attention on the most seriously ill and injured patients."

TeleStroke System Speeds Treatment
Patients with stroke symptoms can get the immediate care they need at ARMC. Members of our new stroke teams respond as quickly as possible when patients with possible stroke symptoms arrive at the ED.

The hospital also uses an innovative telecommunications system, called TeleStroke, to help doctors assess and treat stroke patients quickly. Instead of waiting until doctors who specialize in strokes arrive at ARMC, the system brings them to the patients' bedside so that they can "see" and "interact" electronically with patients and make appropriate diagnoses and treatment recommendations.

ED Expansion Lies Ahead
"More and more patients are choosing ARMC for emergency care and we are committed to providing the high-quality care for which we are known," says Ann Marie Kjosa, Chief Nursing Officer at ARMC.

"While our recent changes address patients' current needs, we're also planning a major expansion of the ED to help make sure we can meet the future needs of the families who trust us to take care of them when emergencies strike."

Would You Like to Learn More? To find out more about the emergency services available at ARMC, please visit our Web site at www.auburnregional.com.

Is It an Emergency?
It's not always easy to decide if you or a loved one needs emergency or urgent care services. If you're not sure which type of care you need, consider calling your doctor for advice. Your doctor may suggest that you make an appointment at his or her office or urge you to seek emergency care.

Call 911 or seek emergency care right away if you or a family member develops any of these serious symptoms:

• Pain or pressure in the chest or upper abdomen
• Shortness of breath
• Severe or sudden pain
• Weakness or numbness, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden dizziness
• Changes in vision
• Sudden confusion
• Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Vomiting or coughing blood
• Severe or persistent diarrhea or vomiting
• Major trauma or injury

You can make an appointment at your doctor's office or go to the Fast Track program at ARMC if you have any of these less serious symptoms:

• Colds or flu-like symptoms
• Sprains and strains
• Ear infections
• Rashes
• Minor broken bones or cuts
• Insect bites (people showing any signs of anaphylactic shock -- such as breathing difficulty or swollen tongue -- should seek emergency care)

"When people aren't sure whether they need emergency or urgent care, we want them to come to the Emergency Department for an evaluation," says Stephen Anderson, MD, Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at ARMC. "We can assess their condition and make sure they get appropriate and timely care."

ARMC's Fast Track program is open Monday through Friday, 10 AM–8 PM and Saturday 10 AM–6 PM. It is located just off I-5 at Enchanted Parkway.

202 North Division St., Auburn, WA 98001 (253) 833-7711, FAX: (253) 939-2376