Knowing how the emergency room works can help you save money

Marlboro Park Hospital provides emergency services to all patients. Like a physician’s office all patients will be seen by a physicians and appropriate medical care provided by professional health team members. The processes for which patients are seen in emergency departments are sometimes different than in a physician’s office. In the emergency department patients are triaged by a Registered Nurse to sort through all patients who have presented to determine which patients have the most serious life-threatening situation. That person is seen first and the next most serious life-threatening situation is seen next. This process continues until all patients are triaged and a medical screening by a physician occurs.

During the medical screening the physicians will use his or her professional and educational medical knowledge and skills to determine if the patient is having a life-threatening emergency. If it is determined that the patient is experiencing a life threatening emergency appropriate treatment will follow. If it is determined the patient is not having a life-threatening emergency further test and treatment is placed on hold so the patient can determine if they want to continue test and treatment in the emergency department or follow up with their own physician. If the patient determines to continue test and treatment for an illness determined to be non life-threatening the patient is expected to pay for those services to be continued. Continuing treatment in emergency rooms for non life-threatening illness can be more costly than following up with a physician in the office.

Marlboro Park Hospital is proud of the nurses and doctors who work in our emergency department. Nurses and doctors are well trained and continue their education through continuing education. “We are very fortunate to have the highly skilled and knowledgeable staff that we have here in our emergency department and we are ready to serve the needs of those who visit us”, states Mary Ann Gump, RN, Director of Emergency Services.