Emergency care

Emergency departments at our hospitals are staffed with expert, multidisciplinary teams, who are equipped to provide an array of services, such as:

• Advanced diagnostic imaging
• Cardiothoracic surgery
• Gastrointestinal (GI) surgery
• Gynecological surgery
• Heart care
• Intensive care units (ICUs)
• Neurosurgery
• Orthopedic surgery
• Plastic surgery
• Post-anesthesia care unit (PACU)
• Reconstructive surgery
• Stroke care
• Thoracic surgery
• Vascular surgery
• Wound care

Treatment for chest pain

Chest pain is often a symptom of heart disease, and occurs when the blood vessels leading to the heart are blocked. This results in less blood, and, therefore, less oxygen, reaching the heart muscle. When the heart muscle is deprived of oxygen, chest pain and other symptoms result.

Pressure, or squeezing chest pain, is the typical description of chest pain from coronary artery disease. However, women may have atypical signs and symptoms, such as pain in the arm, neck or jaw. Chest pain of any kind deserves timely medical evaluation to determine its cause.

Symptoms of a heart attack include:

• Chest pain with burning, pressure or tightness
• Cold sweat
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Heart palpitations
• Nausea
• Pain in the jaw, neck or arm
• Paleness
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Unexplained anxiety
• Vomiting
• Weakness

Sensory room

Parkridge Medical Center's emergency room includes a calm sensory-friendly room for those with sensory sensitivities. The room features adaptable lights and soundproofing to minimize ambient noise, while also containing toys and a story board to visually explain the care process.

To create the space, we partnered with the Chattanooga Autism Center. Using their expertise, along with our emergency staff's, we are able to effective care for those experiencing sensory sensitivities. Families who would like to access the sensory-friendly room should notify emergency staff when arriving at the emergency room.

Telestroke program

Our telestroke program offers innovative stroke care where in-person care is not immediately available.

Neurology specialists at our hospitals work with local emergency health care providers to evaluate your condition and make recommendations for your treatment.

What to expect in the emergency room

The emergency care process can happen fast, so it is important to understand the steps that you will go through upon arrival at one of our emergency departments.

• Triage — When you arrive, you will be greeted and assessed by a triage nurse. Afterwards, according to the severity of your condition, you will be placed in one of our comfortable, private exam rooms. All care takes place behind closed doors, creating a calming, quiet environment, while ensuring confidentiality.
• Provider exam — Your medical needs are always evaluated by an experienced nurse, who then assesses your level of need for either a skilled mid-level provider or a physician. Physician assistants and nurse practitioners have advanced education and training to quickly evaluate, diagnose and treat you, helping to move you towards effective treatment as quickly as possible.
• Pre-treatment — After your assessment, the triage nurse may begin testing to determine the severity of your condition. If you require laboratory testing, such as blood work or X-rays, your total waiting time will increase. We make every effort to keep you informed on estimated times for these reports. If you require a higher level of care, you will be connected to a specialist in the Parkridge Health family of hospitals for continued care.
• Exam room — We work to get you in the first available exam room, based on your condition. There, you may receive further assessment and treatment, or, if necessary, be admitted to the hospital. After your care is completed, your doctor or nurse will give you discharge instructions and any applicable prescriptions.
• Registration — Before you leave, we'll collect information for your medical record. We strive to offer you quality, compassionate care, and are staffed to handle all types of medical emergencies. At times, we may experience delays from the lack of beds, obtaining test results, multiple ambulance arrivals from those in critical condition. If any of these occur, your wait time may be increased. However, the quality of your care will not be affected.

How long will I have to wait to be seen?

Our triage system enables us to efficiently determine if you need immediate attention or if you can safely wait for care. The more acute your condition, the more quickly you will receive emergency care.

We make every effort keep you informed of estimated waiting times.

Will I be treated by a doctor?

Depending on your condition, you will be treated by an emergency medicine doctor, nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant.

Nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants have advanced education and training to skillfully diagnose and treat a wide variety of conditions. They are licensed and certified by the state and work under the direct supervision of a physician.

What information will the emergency department staff need?

To create a hospital medical record for you, we will need information, including your:

• Driver's license or other identification
• Name, age and date of birth
• Reason for visit

How long will my treatment to take?

Our emergency room team is dedicated to providing you with high-quality care while making efficient use of our resources. The duration of your visit is determined by several factors, including:

• Necessary diagnostic imaging or laboratory tests
• Number of arrivals in critical condition
• Severity of your condition

Can I bring someone into the treatment room with me?

Generally, you may have a friend or family member with you. However, for your privacy or the privacy of other patients, there may be times when we ask your visitor to wait in the reception area.

Will I need to be admitted to the hospital?

You will only need to stay in the hospital if the doctors think you need more care or observation. If so, the emergency department will contact the admitting department to have a room assigned to you.

We will make every attempt to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible while you wait for a hospital room to be ready for you.

What if I need to be moved to an ICU?

Our ICU teams provide comprehensive and continuous care if you are critically ill or injured. We closely monitor your condition and manage your treatment 24/7 to ensure the best possible outcome.