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Emergency Care/ER651-232-7348 From minor illnesses to life threatening conditions, the Emergency Care Center at St. John's Hospital is prepared to care for you. We staff physicians, nurses and other professionals who are specially trained in emergency medicine. Our expert medical team cares for more than 39,000 patients every year. When you arriveWhen you arrive, a nurse will check your vital signs, evaluate your condition and ask about your health history. This process is called "triage" and means "to sort by priority." Triage ensures that you will be attended to according to medical need and urgency. While waiting to be seen, Emergency Care Center patients are asked not to eat or drink anything without first consulting with a nurse. Our waiting areas are designed so you and other patients are visible to staff and can be easily monitored. However, if your condition significantly changes, please let our staff know immediately. Will I need to wait long to be seen?While we work hard to get you seen as quickly as possible, there may be delays for various reasons, including:
RegistrationAll patients must go through a registration process, which can be done at any time after your health needs have been evaluated. Sometimes it saves time to have a family member register on your behalf. VisitorsFamily or friends may be asked to wait while you get settled in the treatment room. Once settled, friends and family may stay with you or wait in the lobby. Visitors may be asked to return to the waiting room due to your condition or while a physician examines you. We ask that all visitors respect the privacy of our other patients and be as quiet as possible. Food and beverages are not allowed in the treatment areas. Foreign and sign language interpreters What if I want to leave?If you were concerned enough to come to our emergency room, you need to be seen. Your health is important to us, so even if you feel better, we want you to stay and be seen by a doctor so we can make sure your medical needs are met. If you are admitted to the hospitalOur staff will contact your personal doctor or transfer your continued medical care to one of our doctors if you are admitted to the hospital. Express Admit Unit (EAU)Patients who are admitted to the hospital may be admitted through our Express Admit Unit, which is located next to the Emergency Care Center. Once you enter this unit, you are admitted to the hospital. This department will complete your admission and ensure care and comfort until you are transferred to a bed in the unit most appropriate for your level of care. After your emergency visitStaff will review your discharge instructions with you and provide a written copy of instructions before you leave. Please feel free to ask questions or get clarification if you don't understand the instructions. You may also receive a prescription for medications to be taken at home. You will be responsible for arranging a follow-up appointment with your primary care doctor or the doctor recommended by our staff. Patient care representativeIf you have questions, comments or concerns about patient care issues at St. John's, please contact a patient care representative at 651-326-7777. All information shared with the patient representative is confidential. About your billPlease check your policy or call your health plan for information about your coverage. If you have questions about your bill, contact our patient billing department at 651-232-1100.
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