Advanced Specialties & Services
With more than 775 physicians on staff equipped with the latest technology, Sarasota Memorial offers the greatest depth and breadth of advanced specialties and emergency services in southwest Florida. Our Emergency Care Center is one of the busiest on Florida’s gulf coast, caring for more than 80,000 children and adults each year.
Physicians With More Experience & Expertise
Sarasota Memorial’s medical staff is board-certified in more than 50 specialties and subspecialties. Our Emergency Care Center physicians are all board-certified in emergency medicine and have at least 10 years of experience. Many of our ECC nurses hold advanced certifications in emergency care and all are among the nation’s top 3 percent of nurses and hospitals to receive the nation’s highest honor in nursing care – Magnet Nursing Services Recognition. Indeed, it is that high caliber of care that helps us achieve better outcomes for our patients and national recognition for, among other specialties, heart, stroke, cancer and geriatric care.
Advanced Protocols for Heart Attack & Stroke Patients
The hospital was the first in our community to develop a primary angioplasty program for heart attack victims, and remains the only hospital in this region recognized by the State of Florida as a Comprehensive Stroke Center and nationally by the Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center to help people facing the greatest challenges in stroke care.
Time is never more valuable than when you or your loved one is facing a medical emergency. That’s why it is our goal to have every patient seen by a doctor within 30 minutes of walking into the Sarasota Memorial Emergency Care Center. Only Sarasota Memorial sets this high standard of timely care!
Of course, we always treat patients with the most urgent needs first, so those with less severe conditions may sometimes have to wait a little longer. The great news is that our 30-minute goal has proven to substantially reduce wait times for every patient who comes through our ECC.
How We Expedite Your Care
When you enter the ECC, a registered nurse evaluates your condition with a brief exam and determines the next phase of care. Patients with the most urgent needs are first seen by board-certified emergency physicians. Physician assistants may also facilitate the evaluation process.
While waiting to be seen – or waiting for a loved one – Sarasota Memorial has made comfort a priority. Our ECC features secluded sitting areas, soothing classical music, a separate children’s alcove, a tranquil 800-gallon floor-to-ceiling aquarium, and engaging art and science displays.
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Emergency Warning Signs
Call 911 immediately
if you experience any of the following symptoms:
• Chest pain or pressure
• Loss of consciousness or awareness
• Choking
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Sudden numbness, tingling, weakness of an extremity
• Serious injuries, especially those that affect the head, abdomen, neck or back
• Sudden severe pain anywhere in your body, from a known or unknown cause
• Sudden dizziness, headache or change in vision
• Weakness, fainting or feeling as if you are going to pass out
• Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea
• Thoughts of suicide or homicide
• Seizures or convulsions
• Poisoning or overdose of medications
• Significant bleeding from vagina, rectum or when vomiting
• Bleeding that cannot be stopped with pressure
• Major burns
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Parking
Limited parking is available directly in front of the Emergency Care Center entrance. Free valet parking is available 5 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Friday, and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Should you require assistance or special accommodations when valet service is not available, please inform the staff at the Triage desk.
Friends & Family
We recognize that you may want to keep your friends and family informed during your ER visit. Each room is equipped with a phone, and additional phones are available throughout the Emergency Care Center for your friends and family. Cell phones are not permitted within some parts of the hospital because they can interfere with critical medical equipment. We kindly ask that, upon entering the facility, you turn your cell phone off for patient safety reasons.
Customer Service
We are committed to making our patients and visitors as comfortable as possible. If you have questions or concerns during your stay, please feel free to share them with a member of our emergency care team. In addition to our clinical staff, Sarasota Memorial volunteers are stationed within the emergency room reception area to help assist and communicate your needs. If at any time we fail to meet your expectations, please ask to see the Customer Service Coordinator, the Clinical Coordinator or the Emergency Services Director.
Once you are discharged from the Emergency Care Center, you may be asked to complete a questionnaire rating our service. The information you provide is invaluable, and we hope that you will take the time to respond.
For more information, please call our Emergency Care Center at 941-917-8555. |
