The Emergency Department at David Grant USAF Medical Center provides emergency care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Dedicated to emergency care, our staff has received specialized training to treat any urgent medical problem with compassion and respect.
Our staff includes 14 board certified Emergency Medicine providers and over 15 nurses, with more than half board certified nationally in Emergency Medicine. Our 26 medical technicians have been trained in advanced cardiac life support and are Nationally Certified Emergency Medical Technicians. We currently, gained 8 Nationally certified Paramedics enhancing our Pre-hospital care from Basic Life Support to Advanced Life Support to better serve our beneficiaries. We see approximately 22,000 patients and dispatch approximately 300 Emergency Service call per year.
Our services range from resuscitation and stabilization of the critically ill or injured to common fractures and illnesses. Our services are provided with the full support of advanced technology, such as rapid helical computerized tomography (CT), ultrasound and other diagnostic imaging services. We also have a dedicated X-ray room within the department.
DGMC's ED staff utilizes the latest, most advanced resuscitation equipment available. We are supported by an array of on-call specialists to include Cardiology, General Surgery, Pediatrics, OB/GYN, Dental and Neurosurgery. We also keep up with advances in medical information technology by utilizing an electronic medical record.
DGMC's Emergency Department also houses our Admissions Call Center. Supported by our administrative staff, this operation is one of a kind in Air Force hospitals. Its goal is to facilitate transfers of patients who would like (or their provider request) our outstanding care.
The numbers to reach the Admissions Call Center to take advantage of this excellent service are:
Commercial: (707) 423-7790
Toll free: 1-877-843-2457
All patients are triaged and seen in order of the severity of their condition as determined by their triage category. All patients will be seen, but patient with non-emergent/urgent concerns may experience longer wait times.
Dialing "911" at the first sign of an emergency is important because it puts you in contact with the fastest and most beneficial mode of transportation to an emergency facility.
An emergency is the sudden/unexpected onset of a medical condition that threatens life, limb, or sight and requires immediate care (i.e., loss of consciousness, chest pain, fractures, shortness of breath, uncontrolled bleeding, sudden/unexpected weakness, poisoning, and suicide attempts/thoughts).
The staff's primary goal is to provide intensive care for the critically ill or injured patients. Patients seeking care for sore throats, ear aches, chronic pain, flu symptoms, cold symptoms and minor ailments and injuries should first seek care through their primary care clinic.
The 60the Medical Group provides ambulance response to on-base emergencies only. If you live off-base, you may request to come to DGMC's Emergency Department from the ambulance servicing you.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. What should I bring to the Emergency Department?
A. If you need emergency treatment, a triage nurse will need information about your current state of health and medical history. To ensure the very best care, please bring the following:
Insurance identification card and/or Medicare card, if applicable.
- A current list of ANY medications that you are taking, including non-prescription (over the counter) drugs, vitamins and nutritional supplements. Specific information on labels can be helpful.
- Names and numbers of two people to contact to notify regarding your health status
- Only carry a limited amount of cash. Do not bring unnecessary credit cards or valuables.
Q. How can I prepare for a medical emergency?
A. To avoid wasting precious minutes in an emergency situation, make sure important health information is readily accessible.
If you are incapacitated, emergency personnel will look for identification and health alerts to provide the proper medical care and to contact your family. Therefore, it's always recommended to carry a card in your wallet or purse with the following information:
- Name and telephone number of your regular doctor
- Name and numbers (home, work and cell numbers) of at least two emergency contacts
- Allergies or chronic medical ailments you may have or if you are pregnant
- Medications you take
- If you have an advanced directive for health care or POLST and where to locate it
If you have a chronic health problem or severe allergy to medications, wear a health alert bracelet or necklace indicating:
- Your name and phone number
- The medical condition or allergy
- Name or phone number of the physician who has your medical records
If you have completed an Advanced Directives for Health Care:
- Give a copy to your primary care doctor for your general health records
- Give a copy to your emergency contacts
- If you drive, keep a copy in the glove compartment of your car.
Q. How long will I have to wait for treatment in the Emergency Room?
A. Wait times in an emergency services department are impossible to calculate since hospitals must treat those with life-threatening emergencies first.
All emergency departments must follow a system for determining priority for treatment. This process of sorting patients by severity of illness or injury is called "triage" from the French word meaning "to sort."
Emergency room personnel are alerted when patients are coming by ambulance, and begin to prioritize them before they arrive. While the ED physician may not be able to resolve your condition completely, he will do his best to stabilize your condition and/or help relieve your pain.
Most people who come to the Emergency Department expect immediate attention. Patients and their families who experience a medical crisis are often anxious and want to receive care as soon as possible. We understand and will do our best to take care of you as soon as we can.
If we cannot bring you back immediately to a room, a medic will quickly assess your medical needs when you come in and assign a room as soon as possible.
Your care in the Emergency Department
We have two main goals in our treatment:
1.) We want to find out what is causing your problem, and;
2.) We want to control uncomfortable symptoms.
The Emergency Department provider will determine the care you need based on your symptoms and his exam. Your care may be brief or extensive to include blood tests, EKG, or X-rays. Our provider may also decide to consult with a specialist such as a surgeon or gynecologist. Since DGMC is a teaching hospital, a resident physician as well as a staff provider may also see you.
Your care is very important to us! Please let us know what we can do to improve any care you receive.