The Emergency Department at Chesapeake Regional PDF Print E-mail

The Emergency Department (ED) at Chesapeake Regional offers comprehensive care to the Hampton Roads region. From bumps and bruises to serious illness, our ED is well-equipped to handle a wide-range of ailments. ED physicians and staff members treat more than 62,000 patients per year and more patients per day than any other hospital in the area, providing them with high-touch, quality and personalized emergency care.

Chesapeake Regional works to lower Emergency Department wait times

When patients now visit the Emergency Department at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, they will be greeted in the waiting area by a full-time staff member charged with getting them registered triages and treated faster than ever before.

The new registration process is just another initiative by Chesapeake Regional to further reduce patient wait times.

“Even though we are the busiest Emergency Department in Hampton Roads, we have some of the shortest wait times,” noted Gavin Latney, service line administrator for the hospital’s Emergency Services. “Still, we want to reduce that even more. We want patients seen as quickly as possible to receive the best medical care available.”

In addition to this “greeter,” other processes are already in place to reduce wait times. An electronic information system and full bedside registration speeds patient access to treatment.

The Quick Care area has been expanded to care for patients with less serious complaints and a chest pain staging area has been opened. Having this designated area allows staff members to speed the evaluation of patients who arrive with chest pain symptoms.

When it comes to chest pain, it’s all about speed. Hospitals see a lot of patients with chest pain - in fact it is the most common reason they come to the ER. Chesapeake Regional has the only accredited Chest Pain Center in the region and one of only four in Virginia.

More initiatives to reduce wait times and increase access to care will be coming in the next year.

The staff

Our ED is staffed by experienced well-trained physicians, physician assistants and nurses. Chesapeake Emergency Physicians, L.L.C. has been a member of the Chesapeake Regional Medical Center family since its inception more than 30 years ago. The 17 physicians and 10 physician assistants in this single hospital group bring unparalleled depth and expertise to the hospital. All physicians are board-certified in emergency medicine, with several having earned board certifications in additional specialties such as internal medicine, pediatrics, pediatric emergency medicine and toxicology.

Innovations

When patients visit the Emergency Department they can expect top-notch care in many areas.

  • The Chest Pain Center is the largest of its kind in the area. The center provides the means to quickly and efficiently evaluate the large causes of chest pains. It features an extensive monitoring system that includes advanced cardiac stress tests and an evaluation unit for individuals suffering pain without evidence of a heart attack.
  • The Observation Unit features a 12-bed separate observation area to serve individuals whose medical conditions require extended evaluation or treatment. This unit allows patients to be monitored on an outpatient basis instead of being admitted to the hospital for conditions such as respiratory distress, abdominal pain, congestive heart failure and early pregnancy-related issues.
  • Quick Care is a unit of the Emergency Department where patients can access the ED like a doctor’s office. Timely care is provided to patients suffering from minor ailments such as sprains, sore throats, small lacerations, bumps, bruises and minor infections. This allows patients with minor illnesses and injuries to receive the same immediacy of attention and care as patients with more critical conditions.
  • Rapid Admission Unit expedites the patient admission process. Patient wait time for admission is decreased and an increased amount of patients can be seen.
  • The teletracking system electronically tracks patient and bed status. This system improves clinical communication and patient throughput. The system incorporates an IBEX screen, a large flat screen for patient status documentation, and “computers on wheels” (COWs) to make patient charting an electronic process.
  • Comprehensive, on-site testing and diagnostics. Chesapeake Regional houses state-of-the-art CT scanners, ultrasound machines, laboratories and imaging technologies so there is no need for patients to go elsewhere for tests. This allows visitors to stay informed of their illnesses and progress in a timely manner.

The Emergency Department has grown and expanded during the last 30-plus years to stay abreast of advances in modern medicine.

Regardless of your insurance situation, patients visiting the Emergency Department can expect the highest quality of care in a timely manner. For more information call 757-312-6128.