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 more than 40,000 medical emergencies a year. 

Staffing

Registered nurses and board-certified emergency medical physicians staff the Emergency department. During peak times, we provide triple physician coverage. The department is equipped with three trauma bays, each capable of supporting four critical patients, and a decontamination room for safe treatment of chemical and radiation exposures.

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.

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;
• Stroke Treatment Program, a comprehensive treatment plan for early symptoms of "brain attacks" or strokes;
• 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.

For More Information

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

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