Emergency care
Emergency room (ER) in Plantation
When minutes matter and you need immediate care, we strive to provide you with quick, advanced emergency medical attention.
At HCA Florida Westside Hospital, our ER physicians are board-certified in emergency medicine and provide compassionate care for all ages. To best serve you, we offer high-quality treatments at our two ER locations.
Expert advice, available 24/7
Free health-related information is just a phone call away. Our nurses help you understand your symptoms, treatment options and procedures. They will also help you find a provider or specialist and schedule an appointment.
Free health-related information is just a phone call away. Our nurses help you understand your symptoms, treatment options and procedures. They will also help you find a provider or specialist and schedule an appointment.
Comprehensive emergency care
At our emergency department, you and your family can access personalized care for many types of conditions.
Features of our ER
To help ensure you receive the best possible care, our ER features:
- Access to specialty services and physicians in our other hospitals
- Advanced care from board-certified emergency physicians and emergency-trained staff
- Dedicated private pediatric ER and specialized care for children
- ER self-service check-in kiosks
- Full-service diagnostic laboratory, including X-rays, computerized tomography (CT) scans and ultrasounds
- Free Wi-Fi
Heart attack care
A heart attack, also called a myocardial infarction, is what occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked. The blockage is typically caused by an accumulation of fat, cholesterol or other substances that form a plaque within the arteries of the heart.
Heart attack signs and symptoms
If you believe someone could be having a heart attack, call 911 immediately.
It's important to recognize a heart attack because we can all take proactive measures to have better cardiovascular health and educate ourselves on the symptoms of a heart attack so we can seek help quickly. You could save someone's life by recognizing the following heart attack symptoms and signs:
- Back, jaw or neck pain
- Cold sweat
- Dizziness, sudden lightheadedness or fainting
- Fatigue
- Irregular or racing heartbeat
- Heartburn, indigestion, nausea or abdominal pain
- Pain, pressure, tightness or an aching discomfort in your chest or arms, which lasts for more than a few minutes
- Shortness of breath
Advanced stroke treatment
Our hospital offers a nationally recognized stroke center that is certified by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration as a Comprehensive Stroke Center and by The Joint Commission as a Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center. These recognitions are a result of our safe and high-quality stroke care. We've also received a Det Norske Veritas (DNV) stroke certification, which verifies our stroke care programs are meeting or exceeding standards of care in the delivery of quality stroke care.
Frequently asked questions
To best help you, we have consolidated a list of answers to common questions we receive about our emergency care.
Are there other ER locations available?
In addition to our main campus, we have a second ER location off 441 in Plantation: HCA Florida Plantation Emergency. This ER is staffed with an expert emergency team ready to provide the same level of exceptional care as our main hospital ER.
When should I visit the ER?
We understand it can be difficult to know whether you should go to the ER or wait for your doctor's office to open. However, we want you to feel secure about your choice for care.
There are a wide range of symptoms that may indicate you need to visit the ER, including:
- Back pain
- Broken bones
- Chest pain
- Concussion
- Flu
- Side pain
- Stomach pain
- Trouble breathing
If you are unsure if your symptoms require an ER visit, you can speak to a nurse 24/7 by calling our Consult-A-Nurse® team at (844) 706-8773.
What should I expect at the ER?
When you get to the ER, one of our triage nurses will medically screen, evaluate and stabilize you to assess your symptoms and vital signs. Next, a registration clerk will collect your insurance card (if available) and other information.
If you have a severe, life-threatening illness or injury, you will be treated first. Otherwise, you will be treated in the order you 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 ER.
After discharge, our emergency department staff will reach out to your primary care provider to ensure they are updated on your care.
What should I bring to the ER?
When coming to the ER, we recommend you bring:
- A list of known allergies
- A list of medicines you currently take
- A responsible adult or phone number for someone to contact
- Copies of results from recent medical tests, if available
- Personal care preferences and restrictions
How do I stay updated on wait times in the ER?
When it comes to emergency services, our goal is to continually work toward enhancing the care you receive, while reducing our wait times. This ensures you get the support you need, when you need it most.
Our wait times are updated every 30 minutes and are available on our website.
To find out the wait times of the HCA Florida ER nearest to you, check the top of our website or text "ER" to 32222.
Note: Message and data rates may apply. ER wait times are approximate and provided for informational purposes only.
A story of survival
Larry Gebaide describes his experience receiving lifesaving heart attack care at HCA Florida Westside Hospital.
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