When someone becomes suddenly and severely ill or injured, the first thing that comes into everyone’s mind is always, “Where is the nearest emergency room?” To locals and North Carolinians, the Atrium Emergency Room would be where most of them would prefer to go to. Atrium Health is the largest health system in the region, and their emergency rooms are where they provide fast, skilled, and life-preserving care.
An emergency room, also referred to as an ER, is where you would visit if you have something really bad medically that can’t be put off. Emergency rooms, unlike urgent care, are staffed to handle life-threatening emergencies. The Atrium Emergency Room employs doctors, nurses, and specialists around the clock day and night.
This blog will have a brief overview of what the Atrium Emergency Room is, what they do, when to go, what to expect, and how to prepare your ER visit.
What Is the Atrium Emergency Room?
Atrium Emergency Room is one of the medical centers in Atrium Health’s network of hospitals and medical facilities. Its emergency rooms are open 24/7 and offer medically urgent or life-threatening emergency care for urgent situations. They have specialty medical equipment, experienced personnel, and immediate access to specialists.
You never need an appointment when you visit an ER. If you present yourself voluntarily or were transported by ambulance, they will admit and take care of you right away. Atrium ERs are typically located within large hospitals so if you need surgery or specialist attention, it will be taken care of right away.
When Should You Go to the ER
Not all that’s malfunctioning with you can be addressed in the ER. You might just need emergency care or your doc every now and then. But if you’re faced with a life-altering or life-threatening medical crisis, you’d want to be where the ER is.
Below are some of the medical emergencies that warrant a trip to the Atrium ER:
- Severe chest pain or pressure
- Shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing
- Stroke (weakness on one side, confusion, slurred speech)
- Severe head trauma
- Ongoing bleeding
- Severe burns
- Visible bones under skin
- Seizure
- Loss of consciousness
- Overdose or poisoning
If uncertain but believe very seriously bad, better safe than sorry and visit ER.
Services Offered by Atrium Emergency Room
Atrium Emergency Rooms provide an incredibly wide range of services. They can treat any kind of emergency, ranging from fracture to heart attack.
One of the most in-demand services are:
- Heart and stroke treatment: Rapid testing, medication to dissolve blood clots, and heart and brain specialists around the clock.
- Trauma treatment: Accident, fall, and trauma emergency care. Atrium has Level I trauma centers at most of its hospitals, the highest emergency level of care.
- Emergency surgery: Surgeons are present 24/7 should emergency surgery be needed.
- Pediatric emergency service: Certain Atrium ERs have pediatrics units with on-call pediatrics physicians.
- Imaging and testing: X-rays, CTs, MRIs, ultrasounds, and in-house lab.
- Burn and wound treatment: Treatment of severe burns, deep wounds, or infected cuts.
- Poison control and overdose management: Overdose, poisoning, or toxic ingestion.
Regardless of whatever the problem is, Atrium ERs are prepared to repair it quickly.
What to Expect When You Visit the ER
Going to the ER is no picnic, but if you have an idea of what is to come when you arrive, you won’t be so overwhelmed.
- Check-in (Triage): We will get your status taken care of as soon as possible when you arrive. Those who are more sick are prioritized.
- Registration: Name, ID, insurance, and emergency contact individual will be asked for.
- Examination: You are seen by a physician or nurse practitioner and are tested if needed.
- Tests and photographs: X-rays, lab, or scans can be performed to see what is going on.
- Treatment: Depending on the issue, you may be treated with medicine, stitches, IV fluids, or other care.
- Discharge or hospitalization: Some are discharged and picked up with orders, while others must remain in the hospital.
The whole thing will be an hour or two depending on how busy the ER is and how ill you are.
Atrium Emergency Room Cost
The emergency room is bigger than primary care or urgent care. The price depends on treatment and if you have insurance or not.
- No insurance: It is $500 to thousands depending on procedures and tests.
- With insurance: You can only be required to pay a copayment of $100–$300 based on the insurance.
Based on how much surgery, hospital stay, or treatment will be required, it will cost more. Atrium Health has payment plans and financial aid for eligible patients.
Atrium Emergency Room Benefits
Patients visit the Atrium ER for many reasons:
- 24/7 availability: 7 days of the week, 24 hours a day, including holidays.
- Level of care: On-campus surgeons, specialists, ICU.
- Level I trauma centers: A few of the Atrium hospitals offer the highest level of trauma care.
- Pediatric ER: A few pediatric emergency rooms in some hospitals.
- Rapid diagnosis: On-campus imaging and lab facilities to receive test results in a timely manner.
- Reliable system: Atrium Health is a large local network of hospitals.
How to Prepare for an ER Visit
Because emergencies are not going to strike at specific times, you are not prepared in most situations. There are a few things, though, that will decrease the anxiety when traveling:
- Keep with you a photo identification at all times.
- Keep your insurance card with you.
- Keep your medicines list with you.
- Know your allergies.
- Keep with you your medical history or recent test reports, if any.
- In children, keep the vaccination history with you.
These small pieces of knowledge assist the physicians in treating you faster and safer.
Atrium ER vs Urgent Care
It simply makes sense to understand what are the differences between emergency rooms and urgent care.
Urgent Care is okay for:
- Cold, flu, or fever
- Ear infection
- Cuts needing stitches
- Sprains and strains
- Mild asthma attack
ER is okay for:
- Severe chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Trauma and bad accidents
- Severe burns
- Stroke symptoms
- Seizures
If life-threatening, always go to the ER.
Tips to Reduce Stress to Make Your Visit Not So Much of a Hassle
- Bring an assistant: Bring a friend or family member if you can.
- Relax: Relaxing spoils it but stressing makes medical staff more sluggish to attend to you.
- Ask questions: Never hesitate to ask doctors and nurses what they’re doing and why.
- Do as you’re told: When you’re at home, do as you’re told and take pills, rest, and follow-ups.
Atrium Emergency Room is a sure and trustworthy place for emergent, life-threatening, or complicated medical diseases. It is open 24/7, with highly experienced doctors, and boasting top-class facilities to detect and treat any type of emergency.
While the ER is longer to wait for and more expensive, it’s the option when individuals are struggling to survive. Having a little clue about what it is like, when to arrive, and how to prepare will take some of the stress out.
Atrium ERs aren’t treatment centers—these are save-your-life centers that offer families that comfort in having assistance never far behind.
