Dameron Hospital | Health Outlook | Spring 2019

dameronhospital.org 7 to ca condition, and those with critical issues will be sent to the emergency room while those with less urgent issues get placed on the Fast Track. By directing this flow of patients to the right areas, this drastically decreases the time a patient has to spend waiting in our ED.” On average, it takes over three hours to be treated in a typical ED. With our new Fast Track Unit, Dameron’s wait times have been significantly reduced. “One of the main purposes of our expanded Fast Track is to help alleviate the anxiety and long wait times that are associated with a visit to the emergency room and creating a more friendly, calm environment for our patients,” says Bryan. The expanded area allows us to ensure that patients are seen quickly in the Fast Track while keeping the main ED exam beds available for patients requiring a higher, more critical level of care. “We want to deliver the excellent health care that you have come to expect from our hospital, and that includes a positive patient experience that puts you first,” says Dameron Hospital President and Chief Executive Officer Lorraine P. Auerbach. “By expanding our number of treatment rooms to accommodate our patients with less critical emergencies, the Fast Track provides a direct benefit to our community. It enables us to offer compassionate care in a state- of-the-art emergency facility in the most efficient way possible.” Dameron Hospital’s Fast Track Unit is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. 6 steps CHECK IT OUT. To learn more about our Fast Track, visit dameronhospital.org/fasttrack . to Fast Track your visit Get in and out more quickly with these tips 1 Bring a list of medications you are taking, including the dosage amount and the reason you are taking it. This list should accompany you at all times. If you don’t have a list, bring the bottles containing your medicine and vitamins and other pills not prescribed by your doctor. 2 Always bring someone with you, if possible. You can’t anticipate the outcome of your visit to the ED, so it is important to bring someone who can drive you home, if necessary. This person can also help you retain important information communicated by the ED team. 3 Have a copy of your living will and durable health care power of attorney available, if you have one. If you can’t bring it or don’t have it with you, make sure you know where it’s located and that your family understands your wishes. 4 Inform the ED team if you have been treated for your current condition before. Also provide any health history or records up front. Being familiar with your allergies and immunizations is also important. 5 Be prepared to give a urine sample, if asked. For example, some women may need a urinalysis to rule out pregnancy before further testing can be done. 6 Remain calm. It is difficult to do so when you’re in pain and under stress; however, a calm environment improves communication between you and the health care team.