Emergency Services

Step 1: Check In/Registration

When you arrive at an ED, a staff member will ask for your name, date of birth, your social security number and why you are visiting. This information helps us prepare for your care and adds you to the treatment list. If you’ve been to Centra before, we can also look at your past medical history. Before you leave, our registration team will check in with you again to finish this process. It’s helpful to have your address, phone number, photo ID, and insurance cards if possible.

Step 2: Triage

Triage is a process that helps us decide how quickly to treat patients based on how serious their illness or injury is. We will ask about your health history, check your vital signs (temperature, pulse, breathing, and blood pressure), and may ask for tests like blood work or X-rays. During this time, you will wait to be seen by a provider, which could be a doctor, physician assistant (PA), or nurse practitioner (NP). After triage, you might be sent back to the waiting room or a holding area until a treatment space is available. Let our staff know if your symptoms change. Don’t eat or drink anything without asking first. If you have questions, feel free to ask.

Learn more about the triage process

Step 3: Medical Exam/Treatment

Your care will depend on your specific needs, based on what your provider (doctor, PA, or NP) finds. If needed, we may bring in specialists to help with your care. Our team will work hard to make you comfortable and keep you and your family updated, but please feel free to ask questions. Our EDs are open 24/7 with doctors and nurses, plus a team of imaging technicians, lab workers, and specialists. In some cases, specialists may be available through telemedicine (like for stroke or mental health care) to ensure you get the best care.

Step 4: Leaving the Emergency Department

Once your exam is done and the test results are reviewed, your care team will discuss the next steps with you. This could include going home, staying in the hospital for more treatment, or getting additional care.

• Broken bones
• Coughing or vomiting blood
• Chest pain
• Deep cuts/lacerations
• Difficulty breathing
• Intense abdominal pain
• Loss of consciousness
• Seizures

• Pregnancy complications
• Suicidal thoughts
• Stroke symptoms, including sudden arm or leg weakness and facial drooping
• Uncontrollable bleeding
• Unexpected vision changes
• Sudden or severe symptoms including pain