Welcome to the Emergency Department

Minor injuries
Fractures
Flu/Covid/RSV concerns and testing
Urinary tract infection
Allergy symptoms
Occupational medicine for workman’s compensation
Minor burns
When you can’t get into your PCP promptly (refer to above)

Sudden onset of chest pain
Shortness of air or trouble breathing
Stroke symptoms
Major traumas
Eye and head trauma
Changes in mental status or loss of consciousness
Dehydration
Heat and cold emergencies
Large cuts, wounds, or severe burns
Intense abdominal pain

Based on your conditions, the nurse will determine whether you should be directed to the emergency room or the Fast Track area for further evaluation and treatment.

Emergency Room: If your condition is deemed to be severe or life-threatening, you will be directed to the emergency room for immediate attention. Examples of conditions include chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe injuries, and symptoms of a stroke or heart attack.

Fast Track: If your condition is less severe and can be managed quickly, you may be directed to the Fast Track area. This area is designed to provide expedited care for patients with minor injuries, illnesses, or symptoms that do not require immediate emergency intervention. Examples may include cold and flu symptoms, or sprains and strains.

The Emergency Room is open 24/7/265. The Fast Track is intended to operate during high-volume times in the emergency department. To start, the Fast Track will be open Monday through Friday from 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm and Sundays from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

• During this step, necessary information is obtained, and we begin your patient record.
• All patient information is confidential.
• Your visitors are welcome! However, in order to protect your privacy, it will be necessary to limit the number of visitors.

Regardless of whether you are directed to the Emergency Room or Fast Track area, you will undergo a full medical screening conducted by a healthcare provider.

Following the screening, the healthcare provider will develop a personalized treatment plan. This may include medication, procedures, diagnostic tests, or further evaluation by specialists, depending on the nature of your condition.

As you wait for further assessment and care, your well-being remains our priority. If you have a change or worsening of your condition, please inform the registration staff immediately. Our ER team will promptly reassess your situation and provide the necessary support.

We will try to make your stay with us as comfortable as possible. We will always keep you informed about your care and welcome your questions. Please remember, the physician may be caring for other patients while you are here.

Diagnosing your illness and determining the right course of action will take some time. The emergency department and fast track have access to the same testing services including lab, respiratory, and radiology.

Please note expected times may vary based on staffing and patient census:         

• Basic Lab - 1 hour       
• Basic X-rays - 1 hour       
• Medications - 1 hour       
• Respiratory - 30 minutes       
• Specialty Consultation - 2 to 4 hours       
• Ultrasound - 1 hour      

• Once your test results are received and analyzed, the physician will re-evaluate your situation. If your symptoms have changed or worsened, please let your nurse or physician know.   
• Chronic pain issues are best managed by your primary physician who can continually re-evaluate treatment effectiveness.   
• Based on the test results, and how you are feeling at the time, you may be discharged or admitted to the hospital. Your primary care physician will be contacted to continue your care if admission is necessary.   
• If transfer is necessary, your care will be assumed by the receiving physician upon arrival at the transfer facility.   
• If you are discharged, it is very important to follow up with your primary care physician or the physician to whom you are referred. You will receive written home-care instructions. Take all medications as prescribed.

Q:  Why do wait times vary in the emergency room?

A: On initial contact (ambulance, walk-in, or referral) all patients will be triaged by a nurse. This helps us assess those who need to be seen first. Patients are seen on a most critical/ill to less critical/ill scale. Those who require emergent or urgent care will be given priory and seen first. Others may be asked to wait while these concerns are addressed first.

Each patient and their situation is different so it can be challenging to give a timeline for your visit to the emergency department. If the provider orders additional testing such as labs, respiratory care, or radiologic imaging these tests must be completed and then assessed. Depending on orders certain tests may need to be completed before others, which can also cause a delay. Patient acuity (illness level) and patient volumes also affect the wait times in the emergency department. If an emergency arrives the priority of patient care may change.

Nursing staff will do their best to communicate expectations of time with you as testing is being done. However, the emergency department is always in motion and things can change quickly. We understand that your time is precious and that your concern is an emergency to you. We do our best to address all concerns as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Q:  After being triaged and placed back in the waiting room, I start to feel worse. What do I do?

A: If you start to feel worse after you have been triaged, please let our registration staff know and they will alert a nurse.

Q: I came in due to pain and they wouldn’t treat my pain until I had someone to drive me home, why?

A: There are many options to help treat the pain depending on what kind of pain it is. Some treatments don’t require a driver. Certain treatments may alter your ability to safely operate a vehicle or other heavy machinery. Staff are required to make sure you have a driver present for your safety and the safety of others.

Chronic pain is not something that should be treated in the emergency department. If chronic pain is a concern please talk with your primary provider about a referral to a chronic pain clinic.

Q: Why didn’t they ask for my insurance information when I checked into the emergency department?

A: When you check into the emergency department, we are primarily concerned about your medical well-being. After you are triaged or when you are dismissed from the emergency department the registration team may then collect your insurance information, update their records, and ask for payment. It is the patient’s responsibility to provide correct and current information so that it can be billed properly.

WNH will accept all insurances. Patients should check their policy to make sure that William Newton Hospital is considered an in-network provider. Patients will be responsible for covering any co-pay. Patients without insurance will be asked for a $100 fee for being seen in the Fast Track.

Q: A family member came to the emergency department and then was transferred to another hospital. Can you explain the process?

A: When a patient presents to the emergency department, our goal is to try and return that patient back home as soon as possible. At times a patient may need to stay in the hospital for additional care, monitoring, testing, or treatment. We know that patients prefer to stay close to home. When possible, we do our best to admit patients to our facility to the hospitalist or their PCP if they admit their own patients. Thanks to partnerships we are able to keep some patients who need orthopedic, surgical, cardiac, wound care, or other needs.

Sometimes, we are unable to keep a patient at William Newton Hospital for a number of reasons. If this is the case the ER provider will call other facilities that have the facilities and providers that the patient needs. We start with facilities that are close to Winfield. Once the emergency department provider finds a facility that meets the needs of the patient and has another provider that accepts to take over the care of the patient we wait for that facility to give us a room number for the patient. When we have an accepting facility, accepting provider, and a room assignment then the patient will be transferred. William Newton Hospital has partnerships with ground and air transport services to help transfer patients to their destinations. 

This process is not always as quick as we would like. However, all staff work hard to make sure that patients get the most appropriate care while they are at William Newton Hospital and that the accepting facility is going to meet their needs.

Q: I would like to speak to someone about my care. Who do I speak to?

A: For comments and feedback about your care, please call our Quality Improvement Manager at 620-222-6225.

Check in at admissions to be seen in the emergency department or Fast Track. We will do our best to ensure you get proper and timely care for your concerns. Once registered in the emergency department, you will be triaged and given an initial medical screening by a registered nurse or paramedic. The screening looks at your medical concerns, vital signs, and physical assessment. With all of this information, they will decide which area is more appropriate: emergency care or Fast Track. Depending on patient volumes and other considerations, we may ask you to return to the waiting room to await seeing a provider or you will be taken directly to a room.

No, the Fast Track operates on a walk-in basis.