DENVER (Dec. 17, 2008) – No one looks forward to a trip to the emergency room any time of year, especially during the busy holiday season. But if an illness or injury happens to you or a family member, you certainly don’t want to spend any more time in an emergency room than necessary.
Porter Adventist Hospital began a new program on Dec. 1, with a promise that every patient coming into the Emergency Department will be seen by a physician or a physician’s assistant within 30 minutes. Porter is the only hospital in the Denver area to make such a promise.
“We have been working to better serve our patients through a rapid triage process over the past couple of months,” said Belinda Shaw, RN, director of emergency services. “In the first week of this new program, we were able to shorten the average wait time from 32 minutes to just 19 minutes. Most recently, we have moved patients to an exam room within 12 minutes of their arrival, on average. Our staff is dedicated to getting patients the appropriate medical care as quickly as possible.”
The Porter Emergency Department provides a range of emergency and urgent care, including a new stroke program that was implemented in August. Porter medical and nursing staff have a close working relationship with the Emergency Medical Services community, and are exploring more ways to provide comprehensive emergency services to the Denver community.
