Emergency Services

Equipped with leading edge technology, the Emergency department at Western Baptist Hospital is poised to respond to the emergency medical needs of the region. Listed as one of the busiest emergency departments in the state, Western Baptist Hospital treats about 43,000 medical emergencies a year.  See what to expect during an Emergency department visit.

Staffing

Registered nurses and board-certified emergency medical physicians staff the Emergency department, including a seven-bed chest pain center, a decontamination room for safe treatment of chemical and radiation exposures and a five-bed fast track area for minor emergencies.

In early 2009, Western Baptist added hospitalists to its medical staff to coordinate care for patients arriving at Western Baptist without their own admitting physician.

Treatment

Patients who enter the Emergency department immediately see a triage nurse. This allows our staff to determine what level of care is needed for the illness or injury. Triage nurses are specially trained to separate minor needs from major emergencies.

Special staff training includes cardiac life support, trauma, burns, chemical and radiation exposure, pediatric emergencies.

Western Baptist's Infection Control Department is responsible for preventing and controlling the spread of nosocomial infections in Emergency department patients.

Special Services

Special services available through Western Baptist Hospital's Emergency department include:

• Chest Pain Center, for the treatment of heart attack symptoms. It is the region's only nationally-accredited chest pain center (with PCI).
• Stroke treatment, a comprehensive treatment plan for early symptoms of "brain attacks" or strokes. It is the state's only nationally-certified primary stroke center west of Bowling Green.
• Prime Care Center, a division of Baptist Community Health Services Inc., offering walk-in care for minor medical problems.

Western Baptist Hospital is also co-owner of Mercy Regional Emergency Medical Service, an ambulance service which operates in Paducah and McCracken County.

Several air services, including PHI Medical, serve Western Baptist 24/7 with a registered nurse and paramedic on board. A rooftop heliport is located on the Baptist Heart Center roof with quick access to the Emergency department.

For more information about Western Baptist Hospital's emergency medical services, phone (270) 575-2180.