Emergency Care

Our emergency room services

The UT Health Athens emergency room physicians are equipped to treat a wide range of conditions and illnesses. Features of our ER include:

• Diagnostic services featuring x-ray, ultrasound, CT with iDose radiation reduction and other imaging modalities when needed
• Laboratory services on-site
• Level IV stoke support facility designated by the Texas Department of State Health Services
• Physicians and nurses with advanced trauma life support training, so patients can receive immediate and appropriate care
• Private treatment rooms
• The ability to monitor and stabilize heart attack and stroke patients
• Transfer to UT Health Tyler Level 1 Trauma Center, if a higher level of care is needed

Once you arrive at our ER, a specially trained triage nurse will assess you and determine the severity of your condition and in what order you will be treated. Patients who are critically ill or seriously injured are treated first, regardless of their time of arrival. Some patients may bypass the triage process. In these circumstances we appreciate your cooperation. 

Level IV trauma center

UT Health Athens ED is a certified Level IV trauma center by the state of Texas because of our ability to deliver advanced trauma life support (ATLS). This includes rapid evaluation, stabilization, and diagnostic capabilities for sick and injured patients, along with the ability to stabilize and transfer patients to a higher level of trauma care, if necessary.

Level IV stroke center

 UT Health Athens has been designated as a Level IV support stroke facility (SSF) by the state of Texas. This means our emergency center has met all guidelines for providing resuscitation, stabilization, assessment and treatment, and has the ability to transfer the patient to the UT Health Tyler Comprehensive Stroke Center. A Level IV Support Stroke Facility has 24/7 access to emergency center doctors and nurses with specialized, ongoing stroke training, diagnostic CT scans, lab technician and services.

EMS and Air 1 team

When an emergency happens and seconds count, the men and women of UT Health East Texas EMS and AIR 1 answer the call. Each ambulance and emergency helicopter features Pulsara, an advanced mobile communication technology to track heart and stroke patients in real time before, during and after arrival at the emergency room. Every second saved during an emergency, improves the likelihood of a life saved.

What to expect at our ER

Upon arrival, each patient undergoes a process called triage. This process, conducted by our triage nurses at the front desk, categorizes patients based on the severity of their conditions into immediately life-threatening, urgent but not life-threatening, and less urgent.

Our ER wait times typically fall below the national average, but it’s important to understand that these times can vary greatly depending on what’s happening at our ER that day. Our primary focus in the ER is to save lives, so if a patient with a life-threatening condition arrives, they may be prioritized. This approach is different from that of urgent care or standard medical appointments, as our ER operates on a need-based system rather than a first-come-first-serve basis.

After triage, the check-in process includes an assessment of your vital signs. Then an emergency medicine physician will delve deeper into your condition. This stage often involves coordinating with multiple specialists, such as radiologists, general surgeons, neurologists, gastroenterologists, and others who contribute remotely by analyzing diagnostic reports and advising our emergency team.

In terms of treatment outcomes, you may be admitted for further care, discharged with instructions, referred to a primary care physician, or transferred to another facility. Our ER focuses on treating emergent, urgent, and traumatic conditions and does not typically prescribe narcotics for chronic issues.

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