Starting Tuesday, patients at Crouse Hospital’s Pomeroy Emergency Services Department will have a new experience.
Now, when patients arrive in the ED, they are quickly directed to a team of health care professionals, as part of the newly expanded Rapid Evaluation Unit. Emergency physician Kevin Stimson, MD, said this is a critical step.
"We want to get people in quickly so myself or one of my colleagues can evaluate you, and then we can determine, what do you need now?” said Stimson. “Is it something that is reasonably minor, and you can wait a few minutes for your X-ray, or is something that you need to go immediately back to get treated for your stroke or your heart attack?"
The hospital also installed a new weapons detection system at the entrance to increase security for patients and staff. Then, patients are directed to a small waiting room before being seen.
Crouse Health President and CEO Seth Kronenberg, MD, said the goal is to improve the flow and for patients to see a provider in less than 17 minutes.
"We wanted the feel to be not coming into an emergency room, something different than what's out there for hospitals,” Kronenberg said. “And I think we accomplished that with a warm, comforting feel, but still with the impression that you're going to receive world-class care."
The project was funded by a $1 million federal grant. Crouse’s ED had more than 58,000 patient visits last year.
