Emergency care
Emergency care is the treatment of unexpected, severe medical injuries or infections. It is typically delivered in an emergency room or an ambulance. Our emergency medicine physicians stabilize your condition as quickly as possible to prepare you for the next step of care or discharge.
Emergency room (ER) in Englewood, Florida
No one wants to deal with an emergency medical situation, but when an accident or illness occurs, the specialists at HCA Florida Englewood Hospital are here for you.
Our emergency room is open 24/7 to provide fast, high-quality emergency services. We staff our emergency department around the clock with physicians, nurses and other highly trained healthcare professionals, ensuring you have access to the type of care you need. Together, our goal is to help you recover and return back to a healthy life.
High-quality emergency services
To ensure you receive the best possible emergency care, we are proud to offer a variety of emergency services at our hospital.
Emergency stroke care
Our hospital has earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for Primary Stroke Center Certification by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards for patient safety and quality care. This means we are prepared 24/7 to administer lifesaving, emergency stroke treatment should you come to our emergency room with symptoms of a stroke.
Our neurologists are also standing by to provide tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), the clot-busting drug used to break up blood clots and restore blood flow to the brain. These medications can work fast and efficiently when seconds count, to provide you with the care you need.
Heart attack treatment
We also provide emergency heart attack treatment 24/7. A heart attack is a medical emergency that requires medical intervention to open up the blocked blood vessel that supplies blood to the heart. Treatment options will vary depending on the extent of the blockage that is causing the heart attack.
When it comes to a heart attack, education is key in identifying the signs and symptoms to know when to seek emergency care.
The signs and symptoms of a heart attack can include:
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Pain in the arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach
- Pressure or discomfort in the chest
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
If you believe you are having a heart attack, you should call 911 immediately.
Telemedicine services
We offer complete emergency medical care, but sometimes a higher level of care is required, which is why we use telemedicine technology.
Telemedicine allows you to receive an evaluation from a specialist, like a neurologist or a psychiatrist, in minutes via remote telemedicine technology. A virtual examination is useful in identifying if continued care is needed and expedites the treatment process, so we can provide you with the right care, quickly.
Fast Track ER
If you're coming to the emergency room, we know your condition requires urgent treatment. With our Fast Track ER, we're able to provide expedited care for less severe conditions, such as a sore throat, rash or minor injury.
The division between the main emergency room and Fast Track ER allows us to make sure every patient is getting the dedicated, timely care they deserve.
Our emergency room wait times
When it comes to emergency care, our goal is to continually work toward enhancing the care you receive, while reducing our wait times. This ensures you get the care you need, when you need it most.
Our wait times are updated every 30 minutes and are available on our website and digital screens on roadside billboards throughout the region.
To find out the wait times of the HCA Florida emergency room nearest to you, check the top of our website or text "ER" to 32222.
Note: Message and data rates may apply. Emergency room wait times are approximate and provided for informational purposes only.
Our commitment to high-quality emergency care
We are committed to providing high-quality healthcare services to our community. As part of this commitment, we are pleased to share that our hospital has begun a renovation project to expand our emergency department’s capacity. This expansion will allow us to stay ahead of the healthcare needs of our growing community.
When to go to the emergency room
We understand it can be hard to know what type of medical care you need, like whether you should go to the emergency room or wait for your doctor's office to open.
However, we want you to feel secure about your choice for care, which is why we've created a list of symptoms that may indicate you need to visit the emergency room:
- Back pain, when it is unbearable or accompanied by fever, numbness, weakness, confusion, slurred speech, vision loss or loss of control over bladder or bowels
- Broken bones, when the pain is severe or there is a visible deformity
- Chest pain, when it is crushing or squeezing and accompanied by other heart attack symptoms, such as shortness of breath or nausea
- Concussion, when you have lost consciousness, even briefly, or experience amnesia, vomiting, slurred speech or a seizure
- Flu, when symptoms become severe, such as having trouble breathing, vomiting uncontrollably or becoming dehydrated
- Side pain, when it is severe and occurs in the lower right stomach, side or back or is accompanied by fever, nausea, diarrhea or blood in the urine
- Stomach pain, when accompanied by a hard or tender stomach, nausea, shortness of breath, fever or irregular heartbeat
- Trouble breathing, when breathing stops, is noisy or high-pitched and comes with pain in the chest or severe shortness of breath
If you are unsure if your symptoms require an emergency room visit, you can speak to a nurse 24/7 by calling our Consult-A-Nurse® team at (888) 685-1598.
What to expect at the emergency room
When you get to the emergency room, one of our triage nurses will assess your symptoms and vital signs. Next, a registration clerk will collect your insurance card (if available) and other information.
We medically screen, evaluate and stabilize all patients — whether or not they have insurance or are able to pay.
Anyone who has severe, life-threatening illnesses or injuries will be treated first. Everyone else will be treated in the order they arrive.
Before discharge, we encourage you to ask our emergency care teams any questions you have. It is also useful for you to keep all of your paperwork, discharge information and medicines or prescriptions together after you leave the emergency room.
After discharge, our emergency department staff will reach out to your primary care provider to ensure they are updated on your care.
What to bring to the emergency room
When coming to the emergency room, we recommend you bring:
- A list of medicines you currently take
- A list of known allergies
- Copies of results from recent medical tests, if available
- Personal care preferences and restrictions
- A responsible adult or phone number for someone to contact
Ira Hartman: Patient receives life-saving care at Englewood Hospital
Patient testimonial - Brian Difford
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