Emergency Department

Page Contents: Consent/Registration Triage Emergency Department Doctors Visitors Patient Representative Billing Other Doctor Charges May Include After Your Visit

Video Infusion Pump

Knapp Medical Center's Emergency Department is open 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, and is one of the busiest in the Valley.

Consent/Registration

Although family members can give information to the registration clerk, the patient or legal guardian of a minor must sign the consent. By law, registration cannot take place until after triage.

Triage

Emergency Rooms work on a triage system...not a first come, first serve system. A triage nurse at KMC assesses each patient and determines who is the most critical. This is why patients with non-life threatening health problems may have a long wait, especially during winter months when the flu season is here. When you come to the Emergency Department, please be prepared to tell the staff what happened, when it happened and what first aid treatment was given.

Emergency Department Doctors

A doctor will examine you after a nurse takes your medical history and vital signs. Before making a diagnosis and beginning treatment, the physician may want to order laboratory tests or x-rays.
Your length of stay in the Emergency Department will depend on the number and types of tests ordered and the time it takes to get their results. Even the simplest laboratory test requires at least one hour to complete.
If necessary, the doctor who treats you may call your personal doctor. While you are in the Emergency Department, the doctor on duty will treat you unless your personal doctor has made other arrangements for your care. All doctors who see patients at Knapp Medical Center are independent professional practitioners and are not employees or representatives of the hospital.

Visitors

Family members of patients are important to our Emergency Department staff. To provide efficient emergency treatment and a safe environment, we must limit visitors to one at a time. The staff will keep family members in the waiting area informed of the patient's progress.

Patient Representative

The hospital's patient representative can respond to your questions about hospital policies and non-medical procedures and will gladly discuss any special needs or concerns you might have during your visit. To contact a patient representative, ask the Emergency Department staff to help you.

Billing

Charges will include the cost of using the Emergency Department and any applicable x-ray fees, laboratory fees, medical and surgical supplies and pharmacy items.
Health insurance may cover part or all of your charges. You will be billed for any amount not covered by your insurance. If you do not have insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, you will be asked to call or come by the Business Office as soon as possible to make arrangements for paying your bill. Please remember that doctors, such as the Emergency Department doctors, pathologists and radiologists involved in your care will send you a separate bill for their services.

Other Doctor Charges May Include

Doctor supervision and interpretation of EKG's, lab tests and x-ray exams is required in order to be able to do a complete evaluation of your exam. The hospital will bill you for the use of specialized equipment, supplies and technical personnel.
You will receive a separate bill from the following doctors if you receive their professional services:

• Attending doctor
• Anesthesiologist
• Medical doctor who specializes in the reading of EKG's
• Emergency Doctor
• Pathologist (lab doctor)
• Radiologist (x-ray doctor)
• Assisting and/or Consulting doctor

After Your Visit

If the Emergency Department doctor determines that you do not require hospitalization, you will be provided with instructions for follow-up care after your release. Be sure you understand and follow your instructions carefully, especially those concerning medications.
A visit to the Emergency Department should not be considered a substitute for a visit to your family doctor. KMC provides examination and treatment on an emergency basis only.
Signs and symptoms of many illnesses and injuries may not be apparent until hours or even days later. Therefore, we usually recommend a visit to your family doctor or a specialist for follow-up monitoring and medical care.