Flow of a Typical Visit to the Emergency Department

Flow of a Typical Visit to the Emergency Department

Making a better emergency department visit: Boone Health is making important changes to how patients are evaluated when they come to the Emergency Department (ED). The changes include the establishment of a “Rapid Care Path,” where we are evaluating patients who are in stable condition when they arrive and do not need to be in a hospital bed. is allows us to make sure we have the availability for patients who do need a bed when they come to the ED. Here’s a look at the new process:

1. Arrival and Check-In

When a patient enters the Emergency Department (ED), you will be met by a member of Boone Health’s Care Team. You’ll be asked for your name, date of birth, and chief complaint for the visit. The team member will give you a wristband with your identifying information on it. (Occasionally, the ER staff is asked to assist the patient out of a car if they are unable to walk through the entrance.)

2. Triage

A quick evaluation of your condition will be performed by one of our triage nurses. Depending on your condition, the triage assessment, and availability of an exam room or bed, you will be asked to wait in the ED Lobby, be sent to an exam room (part of our new Rapid Care Path), or be escorted to a bed in the Emergency Department. It’s important to note that you won’t be seen on a first-come, first-served basis. As part of the quick evaluation, we prioritize patients who are the sickest among those in the room at that time. However, with the establishment of our Rapid Care Path, we are able to see non-urgent patients much faster than before.

3. Screening Exam

Once you are in an exam room or ED bed, a physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner will complete an exam to determine what actions should be taken next. That could include getting an X-ray or other image (MRI, CT scan, etc.), drawing blood for testing, or giving medications. At any point, you may be moved to a different part of the ED depending on changes in your condition.

4. Continued Care

If you are getting an X-ray taken or having blood drawn for testing and you are in our Rapid Care Path, you might be asked to sit in our “Results Pending” area while your images are being reviewed or the blood tests are conducted. Even though it might not seem like actions are being taken, Boone Health ED staff are working hard to process the tests. Depending on what tests have been asked for, it might take some time for the results to come back.

5. Moved to a Room /Treatment Chair

If your condition changes, you may be moved to a bed inside the ED or into a treatment chair in an exam room (Rapid Care Path). During this time, you will continue to be monitored for any changes to your vital signs.

6. Visit with a Provider

After you have been placed in an ED bed, assigned to an exam room or when your blood tests/imaging results come back, a medical provider will either give you a thorough evaluation or discuss the results of your tests/images. A recommended treatment plan will be reviewed, including whether you might need additional services or require a specialist.

7. Final Steps

Once a decision about a treatment plan has been discussed with you, you’ll either be discharged to go home with some specific instructions or be admitted to the hospital. In rare cases, we might suggest transferring you to a different facility if your situation warrants care with a particular specialist.

By Andrea Primus, Emergency Room Nurse