You should use the Emergency Room when you cannot reach your primary care physician and/or are experiencing any of the following symptoms:
Airway obstruction
Respiratory distress
Chest pain
Severe abdominal pain
Sudden severe headache
Uncontrolled bleeding
Sudden onset of any neurological disorder–paralysis, speech difficulties
Change in level of consciousness.
If you are unsure you are experiencing a medical emergency, it is best to call 911 and go to the nearest Emergency Department.
Q.
What should I do if I have to come to the ED?
A.
Here are several tips that will help your trip to the Emergency Department go more smoothly.
First, call your family doctor and explain your symptoms. Your doctor may be able to tell you how to solve your medical problem over the phone and save you a trip to the ED. If you are told by your family doctor to come to the ED, or if you decide to come on your own, bring a list of all medications you are currently taking. Try to leave any valuables at home.
We recommend that you don’t bring children under the age of 12 to wait with you. Sometimes, based on the number of patients in the ED waiting to be examined, it may take a few hours to be seen by one of our physicians. During this time children can become impatient, something you don’t want to deal with if you are sick or in pain.
Q.
What is your Fast Track Program?
A.
Maryland General also provides Fast Track care as part of its emergency services program. Here patients needing less urgent care can be seen faster and less expensively. Think of it as an extension to your doctor’s office, capable of taking care of those bumps and bruises, illnesses and injuries that require immediate attention but aren’t life threatening.
Q.
If I need Emergency Department care but can’t afford to pay for it, what can I do?
A.
Patients who come to Maryland General’s Emergency Department will be seen and treated regardless of their ability to pay.
Q.
Is the doctor’s fee included in the hospital’s bill?
A.
No, it is not. After your discharge you will receive a bill from Maryland General Hospital and a separate bill from the physician who treated you. You can also expect separate bills from any medical specialist who treated you or interpreted any tests required to complete your diagnosis. This could be a radiologist who reviewed your X–rays, or one of the hospital’s pathologists who read one of your lab tests.
