24-hour emergency room in South Tulsa
When you need lifesaving care, the emergency physicians at Hillcrest Hospital South are ready to help. Our 24-hour emergency room (ER) provides exceptional emergency medical services for patients with critical illnesses, injuries, and conditions. We provide stroke and heart attack treatments, as well as care for major injuries, respiratory complications, severe allergies, and more. Our team of highly skilled ER doctors and nurses are committed to your complete wellness, and we stand ready to deliver exceptional ER services at a moment’s notice.
Emergency conditions we treat
Our ER provides comprehensive treatments for the following illness, injuries, and conditions:
- Burns, cuts and lacerations
- Fractures and broken bones
- Head trauma and bodily injuries
- Heart attack
- Severe abdominal pain
- Severe infections
- Severe respiratory illnesses and complications
- Stroke
Should you require care for another condition not listed here, our physicians will connect you with a medical department that is best suited to your needs.
STEMI emergency heart care
Hillcrest South is a designated STEMI receiving center, meaning we are equipped to provide rapid, life-saving treatment for patients experiencing a ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (heart attack). Our emergency and cardiology teams work together to:
- Quickly identify STEMI symptoms
- Activate the cardiac catheterization team
- Restore blood flow through emergency angioplasty and stenting
If you or someone you know is experiencing chest pain, shortness of breath, or other signs of a heart attack, call 911 immediately. Prompt treatment can save your life.
What to expect at our ER
Upon arrival at our ER, you will be greeted by a member of our staff who will ask for basic information in order for you or your loved one to be quick-admitted, or admitted on a preliminary basis. You will need to sign a consent form for treatment, and for children under 18, consent of a parent or legal guardian is required.
You will then be triaged for treatment. Triage is the process by which individuals are screened based on the severity of their condition. Our emergency team implements the triage process to streamline your care while minimizing wait times.
Please be prepared to provide pertinent information about your medical history, including any medications you are taking, any allergies you may have, and a summary of your past illnesses, injuries and surgeries. Having this information readily available greatly assists our medical team in making informed decisions regarding your care.
Individual wait times can vary widely in the ER. Wait times are based on the number of beds available, the number of patients needing care and the severity of their conditions. In emergency rooms, patients are not seen on a “first-come, first-serve” basis. Instead, they are seen in the order of the severity of illness or injury. For example, heart attack patients and near-drowning victims are seen before patients with cuts or broken bones. Therefore, patients with the most serious and life-threatening conditions will be seen first.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 or visit the nearest emergency room.
Important rules and information
We’ve compiled a list of rules and information to help make your experience at our ER as uncomplicated as possible. Please speak to a staff member if you have any questions about the following guidelines or information:
- Children who are not patients should be accompanied by an adult at all times. However, if your child is the patient, you are encouraged to accompany him or her to the examination room. All Hillcrest South ER staff members have photo IDs. Please DO NOT hand your child over to anyone who does not have proper identification, or to anyone who asks you to wait in the lobby while your child is taken in for testing.
- Patients waiting in the ER waiting room are asked to refrain from eating or drinking anything (except water) before they are examined by a physician. No food or beverages are allowed in exam rooms.
- To expedite your care, laboratory testing and X-rays may be ordered by the triage nurse and completed while you are in the waiting area. If you feel the need to use the restroom, please wait until you have talked to the triage nurse (we may need a urine sample for testing). If at any time during your wait in the lobby you feel your condition worsening, please ask the front desk for a triage nurse.
Once you have been taken to the exam room you will be evaluated by a nurse before you see a provider. If you are already taking medication, be sure to tell the emergency nurse or physician before your next scheduled dose. Typically after the examination, the doctor may order tests to help diagnose your condition. These tests and procedures take time and we do our best to keep you updated on the progress.
On occasion, several different tests may be given that add to your length of stay. Also, depending on the nature of your illness or injury, physicians from other specialties may be called upon to assist you. Once you are diagnosed, the physician will determine if you will be treated and released, or admitted to the hospital.
Wait times at our ER
We do our best to keep you updated on wait times. Please keep in mind that we are continuously receiving patients via ambulance through a separate entrance. Wait times may change based on the number of patients we receive. Proper medical care takes time. After you have been seen by a physician, it may take some time before a decision can be made about your status. Your physician may be waiting for one or more of the following:
- Results of lab tests
- X-ray interpretation
- Observation of any changes in your condition
- Reassessment of your condition
- Observation of the effects of any treatment, e.g., medications
- A bed assignment (if you are admitted)
If you have any questions, please speak to one of our staff members.
