Emergency Care
24/7 Emergency Services in Hagerstown
As a state-designated Level III Trauma Center, Meritus Medical Center offers around-the-clock access to trauma surgeons, neurosurgeons, thoracic surgeons and orthopedic surgeons, as well as a specialized trauma team and consulting physicians. Each year more than 72,000 patients arrive at Meritus Medical Center's emergency department with life-threatening conditions like heart attacks, strokes, burns, penetrating injuries and acute allergic reactions.
Staffed with board certified emergency medicine physicians, nurses, physician assistants, laboratory technicians, x-ray technicians and respiratory therapists, our emergency department team offers expert care, with an emphasis on maintaining patient comfort, dignity and confidentiality. Designated areas for patients with serious medical conditions, heart attack symptoms, behavioral health concerns and minor injuries improve the efficiency of care. The emergency department also maintains an in-department CT scanner, x-ray and phlebotomists for expedited care.
Emergency Room or Urgent Care?
Whenever you or someone you love has sudden symptoms of an illness or injury, your first thought is getting to a medical facility. But how do you decide which medical facility you should go to?
If it's a life-threatening injury or illness, go straight to the emergency room (which is sometimes best accomplished by calling 911). But what about non-life threatening illnesses like a sprained ankle, minor fracture, earache, sore throat, or fever? What if you have a minor injury or illness but no primary care physician?
An urgent care center may be a great choice for you. Staffed by physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants, urgent care centers are a great alternative when most other doctor’s offices have already closed. Plus, an urgent care center may be closer to your home.
The emergency room is generally used for life-threatening situations such as:
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Severe burns
- Serious head injuries
- Poisoning
- Life-threatening allergic allergies
- Difficulty breathing
Conditions better treated at an urgent care center include:
- Minor aches and sprains
- Cold and flu
- Sore throat
- Fever
- Ear infection
- Allergic reactions
- Pink eye
- Rashes
- Insect bites and stings
Consider going to Meritus Urgent Care the next time you need medical care and can't get into your doctor's office.
