Emergency care
Emergency care is the treatment of unexpected, severe medical injuries or infections. It is typically delivered in an emergency room or an ambulance. Our emergency medicine physicians stabilize your condition as quickly as possible to prepare you for the next step of care or discharge.
Emergency rooms (ERs) in Austin and Central Texas
At St. David’s HealthCare, our specialists are prepared to treat urgent injuries and illnesses 24/7.
Our hospitals' board-certified emergency physicians build treatment plans for time-sensitive conditions, such as head injuries, fractures and severe burns. We are also the only system in the region fully accredited by the American College of Cardiology.
Advanced care for urgent conditions
In addition to the emergency care offered at our hospitals, St. David's has freestanding emergency centers, including:
- St. David's Emergency Center - Bastrop, affiliated with South Austin Medical Center
- St. David's Emergency Center - Bee Cave, affiliated with South Austin Medical Center
- St. David's Emergency Care - Pflugerville, affiliated with North Austin Medical Center
- St. David's Emergency Center - Leander, affiliated with Round Rock Medical Center
Conveniently located throughout the Greater Austin area, our freestanding ERs are open 24/7, including holidays. Features of these ERs include:
- Admission to St. David's Healthcare affiliated facilities
- Board-certified emergency care physicians at most locations
- Most major insurance plans accepted
- On-call specialists
- On-site imaging and lab testing
If you need inpatient services, our care team assists with facility admission to the hospital of your choice. We can also provide direct admission by ambulance to a room at a St. David's Healthcare-affiliated hospital.
What to expect when you arrive for emergency treatment
When you arrive for emergency care, a board-certified specialist will conduct an initial exam and order lab work or tests as needed. Our freestanding clinics and ERs also offer in-house imaging services. This enables us to fully diagnose your condition and move forward with care as soon as possible. We will arrange transport to a nearby hospital if you need inpatient care.
Our emergency care services
Urgent care vs emergency care
It's important to know what kind of facility to visit when you need prompt care. Urgent care clinics are suitable for minor health issues, such as the cold, flu and their related symptoms. Urgent care clinics also treat non-severe conditions, including:
- Burns
- Infections
- Lacerations
- Rashes
- Sprains
Emergency clinics are better equipped to treat serious illnesses and injuries. If you have symptoms of a life-threatening issue, such as chest pain or difficulty breathing, call 911 or go to the ER. Emergency care is also appropriate for the following conditions:
- Fractures
- Head injuries
- Seizures
- Severe burns
- Snake bites
- Signs a of stroke or heart attack
- Traumatic injuries
- Uncontrollable bleeding
Trauma care
Our emergency rooms are equipped to treat traumatic injuries that result from accidents, such as falls. These conditions include:
- Brain injuries, such as concussions
- Crush injuries
- Electrical injuries
- Major burns
- Puncture wounds
- Spine fractures and other broken bones with the potential to cause long-term disability or death
Several emergency centers and freestanding ERs in the St. David's network have dedicated trauma rooms. Patients will also work with trauma-certified nurses who offer specialized experience treating these injuries.
Pediatric emergency care
Every St. David's ER is capable of treating emergencies affecting children. However, specialized pediatric care is offered at St. David's Children's Hospital. This facility provides:
- A 10-bed pediatric emergency unit
- An eight-bed medical surgical inpatient unit
- A six-bed pediatric intensive care unit (PICU)
St. David's Children's Hospital provides emergency, inpatient and intensive care for children 17 years old and younger. This includes:
- Pediatric surgery
- Pediatric radiology
- Pediatric anesthesia
- A wide range of other pediatric specialties, including cardiology, orthopedics, neurology and urology
Emergency imaging services
Paramedics and emergency physicians diagnose your condition as soon as possible. If you need lab work or screenings, we can move forward with imaging services once you arrive at the ER. Tests we offer include:
- Computerized tomography (CT) scans and X-rays
- Diagnostic radiology, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans
- Ultrasounds
Some of our ERs also have labs, enabling us to process and interpret results as quickly as possible.
The best is here
More locations, less wait time. That’s the best kind of emergency care.
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