What to Expect in the ER

Upon arriving to the ED, patients are greeted by registration and they will ask for information such as name, address, family doctor and insurance coverage. The registration process will not delay treatment. People who require the most urgent care will be treated first. This means it may be possible someone who arrived before you receives treatment, first. However, we are still committed to treating every patient as soon as possible.

Please understand, we are not able to diagnose or give medical advice over the telephone. If you have questions about a medical condition, please see your physician or come to the Emergency Department.

Admission or Discharge

Most patients are treated and discharged to go home from the emergency room. If your emergency room physician determines you can go home, you will receive written instructions about how to take care of yourself after you leave the hospital. It is important to follow these instructions, take all prescribed medications and schedule a follow-up appointment with your personal physician.

If you are admitted to the hospital, you will be transferred to a patient room and we will notify your primary care physician. If you do not have a physician, another member of the medical staff – called a hospitalist – will coordinate your care while you’re at the hospital.

Transfer to Another Hospital

In certain critical conditions a patient may require a higher level of care than we are able to provide. Your doctor may discuss your condition with doctors or specialists at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, Vermont or Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover, New Hampshire. We are not limited to these two facilities, but they are the ones that most often receive our critical patients.