Emergency Department

The Emergency Department at UPMC Western Maryland is open 24/7 with providers treating serious and life-threatening illnesses and injuries. UPMC Western Maryland offers the only Level III Adult Trauma Center in the region. If you or a loved one is experiencing an emergency, please pick up the phone and dial 9-1-1 to get the help you need.

Questions? Call 240-964-7000

Choose the Emergency Department over an Urgent Care Center if you’re experiencing symptoms, such as:

  • Chest pain or other heart attack symptoms
  • Head injury
  • Sudden and severe headache or loss of vision
  • Heavy bleeding that won’t stop
  • Deep cuts or puncture wounds
  • High fever
  • Severe breathing difficulties
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Constant vomiting
  • Domestic violence, rape, or other physical assault
  • Feelings of suicide
  • Severe burns

Emergency Department Treatment

Our Emergency Department uses a sorting system called triage, not a first-come-first-served order, to treat our patients. During triage, a specially trained registered nurse will assess you to determine what Emergency Severity Index (ESI) level 1-5 scale you fall in with 1 being the most critical.

This sorting process ensures our patients with the most serious injuries or illnesses are treated first. For example, if a patient arrives with chest pain, he or she is treated before you if you arrived earlier but have a swollen ankle. Heart attacks have priority over earaches, and complicated fractures are treated before smaller cuts.

Our Emergency Department Team is proficient in lifesaving skills and has expert knowledge in the delivery of care within emergency medicine. The UPMC Western Maryland Emergency Department team includes:

  • Emergency physicians
  • Trauma surgeons
  • Orthopedic surgeons
  • Neurosurgeons
  • Critical care specialists
  • Anesthesiologists
  • Physician Assistants/Nurse Practitioners
  • Emergency nurses
  • Respiratory therapy
  • Other support personnel who are available on a 24-hour basis.

Trauma Program at UPMC Western Maryland

UPMC Western Maryland is one of only three Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems verified Level III Adult Trauma Centers.

As the only Trauma Center in Maryland’s Region 1, we serve Garrett and Allegany Counties in Maryland as well as Mineral, Hampshire, Grant, and Morgan Counties in West Virginia, and Bedford and Somerset Counties in Pennsylvania.

Multidisciplinary Trauma Care Team

UPMC Western Maryland has around-the-clock access to a team of skilled medical professionals who are specially trained to provide the highest level of care available to severely injured or ill patients. Our team includes:

  • Anesthesiologists
  • Cardiovascular surgeons
  • Emergency physicians and nurses
  • General and trauma surgeons
  • Interventional radiologists
  • Neurosurgeons
  • Orthopaedic surgeons
  • Radiologists
  • Urologic surgeons

Pediatric Emergency Care

The Pediatric Observation Unit at UPMC Western Maryland enhances the care that UPMC Western Maryland can provide to our youngest patients.

For a virtual tour of our Pediatric Observation Unit, click here.

Some Features Include:

  • Five dedicated beds
  • Secluded from adult patients
  • Secure environment
  • Pediatric equipment
  • Private rooms
  • Child-friendly and soothing atmosphere

Acute Treatment Area

If the condition is life-threatening, our patients are taken directly to the acute treatment area and begin care immediately. This area includes four trauma rooms that are equipped with the resources necessary to provide treatment for severe and/or multiple injuries. Other rooms are specially equipped to deal with other serious health issues, such as chest pain, that require intensive evaluation and treatment.

Rapid Medical Evaluation

There are many instances when the needed level of care falls somewhere in the middle of the acuity range. In order to reduce the wait times, a new Rapid Medical Evaluation (RME) area is available every day from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.

The RME area provides space where our team of providers can assess serious health issues and get any required lab or radiology exams underway more quickly. This innovative approach greatly reduces the wait time to see a provider and decreases the length of stay in the ED. In addition, having the RME area keeps beds free in the acute area of the ED for the most serious and life-threatening conditions.

The Treatment Process

An Emergency Department nurse evaluates your condition and will ask about your medical history, current medications, and drug allergies. One of our ED physicians, physician assistants, or nurse practitioners will assess and discuss the problem with you, recommend a course of treatment, and possibly order a diagnostic test or a specialist consultation.

We screen our patients for domestic violence, smoking, alcohol, and drug use. Our ED team members can provide referrals for any of these issues if wanted or needed.

Family and Friends

Visitor policies are subject to change. To view our current visitation policies, please click here.

OUTPATIENT OBSERVATION UNIT

SHOPPING & DINING

When Treatment is Completed

An illness or injury may require admission to the hospital. After the admission is processed, one of our nurses will transport you to an available bed.

PATIENTS & VISITORS

In the event that your condition requires treatment not available at UPMC Western Maryland, arrangements will be made to have you transferred to another healthcare facility. One of our physicians will determine whether you will go by ambulance, helicopter, or private vehicle.

If cleared for discharge, one of our nurses will review written instructions with you to ensure that you understand any medications that you have been prescribed and will review follow-up care.