Newswise — DENVER (Jan. 25, 2011) – When you are already faced with uncertainty about what is making you ill, or whether or not you may have a broken bone, the last thing you want to worry about is how long you might have to wait to be treated in a busy Emergency Department.
If you are heading to the ER at Porter Adventist Hospital, you can now know in advance how soon you can be seen by a doctor. You can check online or through any web-enabled device, or by downloading the free iTriage® app on your smartphone and searching for Porter Adventist Hospital’s ER. Wait times will also be available at www.porterhospital.org in the coming weeks.
Porter is the first hospital in Colorado to publish its ER wait times. Other hospitals in the Centura Health network are poised to implement the iTriage feature soon, including Littleton Adventist Hospital.
“We are well-equipped to give timely emergency care in our ER,” said Belinda Shaw, director of emergency services at Porter. “For more than two years, we have held to a promise that each patient would be seen by a physician or physician’s assistant within 30 minutes of arrival. Now, a patient can find out before they come in or while they’re on the way just how soon we will be able to begin treating them.”
Patients can also pre-register for emergency care through the iTriage feature called “Tell us you’re coming,” making the process much smoother during a health emergency while also helping the hospital staff be better prepared to see them.
Recent research from the Government Accountability Office and Press Ganey Associates indicates that U.S. ER wait times are on the rise, with patients waiting an average of 6 hours to be treated in 2009.
Porter’s ER wait times are updated every 15 minutes, and are calculated by averaging the previous hour’s “door to doc” time, which is the time period from when a patient checks in at reception to the time the physician signs in to see the patient.
Porter joins a growing number of hospitals across the country using this interactive technology that gives instant access to information about the hospital, including specialties offered, location maps, and ER wait times. The technology allows consumers to evaluate symptoms, learn about possible causes and find appropriate locations for treatment.
“Our patients are using all the available technology to more easily access their information for their healthcare,” Shaw said. “At Porter, we support providing them with all the resources and information they need to make the best decisions.”
It is important for anyone experiencing a life-threatening emergency to call 911 immediately. Do not check the wait time and do not drive yourself to an emergency room. Emergency medical transport will ensure that a patient receives immediate treatment on their way to the hospital and that they arrive at the appropriate place to be treated as needed.
For more information about ER wait times as a technological advancement for hospitals, contact Marcia Noyes at Healthagen, [email protected], or 720-496-2219.
About Porter Adventist Hospital Porter Adventist Hospital is a full service, Nursing Magnet® designated, 368-bed acute-care referral center for complex medicine and surgery patients. In addition to being ranked No. 1 for 2010 in overall cardiac care in Colorado by a national hospital reporting company, Porter specializes in cancer care, joint replacement, spinal care and organ transplantation. Porter is sponsored by Adventist Health System and is part of Centura Health, Colorado’s largest hospital and health care network delivering advanced care to more than half a million people each year, across 13 hospitals, seven senior living communities, medical clinics, affiliated partner hospitals, Flight for Life® Colorado, and home care and hospice services. Porter’s and Centura's strength lies in the ability to offer a team of connected networks and shared resources to deliver accessible, reliable and cost-effective health care across the state. For more information about Porter Adventist Hospital, visit www.porterhospital.org or the Media Room at http://porter.mediaroom.com. # # #
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