COLUSA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER,
Caring for our Community

California’s Emergency Rooms: on the Front Lines of Care – Part II

            Just like the police and fire departments, Colusa Regional Medical Center’s emergency department is on the front lines, responsible for the health and safety of the community 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  According to Joan Chatell, RN, ER Nurse Manager, “We are open around the clock, every day to serve anyone and everyone who has a medical concern or condition.  We can triage, stabilize, treat or transfer if necessary any medical problem that is presented.  There is always a physician and licensed nurse team on duty who is specially trained to triage and treat patients with a full range of medical conditions.

            In addition to emergency conditions, we see a lot of urgent conditions, such as a sick child with a high fever.  We are especially equipped to evaluate and treat sick babies and children through a telemedicine communications line with UC Davis Medical Center.  The nurses and doctors examine the sick child and make the child as comfortable as possible.  Then, the telemonitor is connected to the UC Davis neonatal unit.  The pediatric specialist then takes the examination report from the ER doctor and observes the child over the monitor.  The consulting physician and ER doctor work together to develop the most effective treatment intervention for the sick child.

            Frequently, pregnant women will come to the emergency room with concerns about the status of their unborn child.  We triage them directly to the Labor and Delivery Unit where they can be observed and monitored by specially trained nurses using fetal monitoring equipment.  This fast track to the nursing unit avoids the risk of pregnant women being exposed to infectious diseases or other traumatic situations that may exist in the Emergency Room.

            If a patient comes to us reporting symptoms of any suspected infectious disease, we quickly assess the situation and place them in an isolated area away from other patients.  Confirmed cases of infectious disease are reported to the Colusa County Public Health Department and we assist the patient with getting connected to the support services available from the Public Health Nurses.

            Many of the local employers utilize us to treat their injured workers.  We examine the worker and provide necessary treatment.  We also complete the first injury report and other paperwork required by the workers compensation insurance carrier.  The injured workers are then referred to one of the CRMC Clinics or their primary care physician for follow-up care.

            The Colusa Clinic and the Williams Urgent Care Center have been a wonderful addition to the emergency room services.  Not only do the providers and staff follow up on the injured worker cases, they also see many of the coughs/cold/flu symptoms that used to come to the emergency room.  Now patients worried about a lingering cough can go to one of the CRMC Clinics and be seen more quickly and at less expense than if they came to the Emergency Room.  We try to get everyone seen as quickly as possible, but we only have three designated emergency beds and a treatment room.  We triage and then treat patients as beds come available based upon their medical condition.  If we have someone brought in by ambulance with a suspected stroke, that patient will receive care before the patient who is waiting with an elevated temperature.

             While it is good to have the Urgent Care alternative, I want to emphasize that the ER will see anyone, anytime of day or night who has a concern about their health or the health of a sick child or other loved one.  We help everyone and make sure they get referred for the appropriate follow up care with a primary care physician or specialist.

            According to Dale Kirby, CEO of CRMC, “The addition of the CRMC Clinics in Colusa, Stonyford and Williams has allowed the emergency services to keep up with the demands of the growing population in Colusa County in spite of the limitations of the size of the emergency room.  ER visits have increased over the last three years from 6,150 to 6,950.  However, during that same time period, the visits to the CRMC Clinics have increased from 7,750 to 10,760 visits.  The Williams Urgent Care Clinic has been especially busy since it opened in June of 2005 seeing as many as thirty patients a day.

            The CRMC Clinics also provide a place for patients without a primary care physician to seek immediate care without going to the emergency room.  This benefits everyone.  Patients don’t put off receiving medical care which would make their condition worse and staff help them find a primary care doctor or specialist to assist with their ongoing treatment.  The Clinics also provide pre-employment physicals and drug testing services that most primary care providers don’t have time to do in their busy practices treating sick people.  Many parents also use the Clinics to complete the school and sports physical examinations required for their children.

            In addition to providing top-notch care for everyday screening exams and injuries, the CRMC Emergency Service stands ready to respond in the event of a major catastrophe such as an earthquake, flood or pandemic flu.  In the event, of a crisis scenario, whether it’s a major car accident or a major disease outbreak, the ER would evoke its Disaster Preparedness Plan calling in additional doctors and nurses to assist with the triage and treatment.    Just like police and fire – our emergency department is always there when the community needs urgent or emergent care.” 

            For more information on location and hours of the CRMC Clinics, you can contact Charla Parker, Director of Community Relations and Strategic Planning at (530) 458-5821 or cparker@colusamedicalcenter.org. 

Colusa Regional Medical Center is an equal opportunity provider and employer.