Emergency Care

Emergencies can happen at any time, and it’s important to be prepared. Should you experience a situation where you are questioning whether or not to go to the emergency room, the below information can help you make an informed decision. However, please keep in mind that if you experience any symptoms you believe to be an emergency, seek medical attention immediately. In the event of an emergency please dial 9-1-1, or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.

It is recommended that you go to an emergency facility if you experience:

• Chest pain
• Confusion
• Broken bone
• Fainting
• High fever
• Ingestion of obstructive object
• Major head injury
• Palpitations
• Pneumonia
• Seizures
• Severe abdominal pain
• Severe asthma attack
• Severe burns
• Severe headache
• Shock
• Shortness of breath
• Unconsciousness
• Uncontrollable bleeding

A visit to an urgent care facility or your primary care physician is recommended if you experience*:

• Allergic reaction (minor)
• Asthma attack (minor)
• Bronchitis
• Colds, cough, flu, fever
• Dehydration
• Dizziness
• Ear infection
• Insect bite
• Migraine
• Minor burns, including sunburns
• Minor cuts/lacerations
• Minor head injury (not including head injury while on blood thinners)
• Nausea
• Pink eye
• Rash
• Sore throat
• Sprain or strain
• Urinary tract infection

*Some of the above symptoms can be more severe in pediatric cases, please contact your pediatrician with any concerns.

Level III Trauma Center

The trauma center at Good Shepherd Longview is verified as a Level III Trauma Center by the Verification Review Committee (VRC), an ad hoc committee of the Committee on Trauma (COT) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This achievement recognizes the trauma center's dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients. At a Level III Trauma Center, emergency room services and surgical services must be available 24/7. Level III trauma centers must have physician specialists including neurosurgeons, pulmonologists, intensivists, trauma surgeons, anesthesiologists and orthopedists covering call 24/7. A Level III Trauma Center must also be part of a hospital that provides acute critical care and care throughout the continuum of the patients' illness and injury, as well as an in-house lab. They also need advanced life support immediately available on air transport, 9-1-1 and long-distance transport.