Emergency & Trauma Center

Please note: The Emergency & Trauma Center is located on the first floor of the South Tower. To access, follow the directions to the main hospital campus and follow the signs to the South Tower.

At the heart of the South Tower and at 37,000 square feet, Overlake Hospital Medical Center’s new state-of-the-art Emergency and Trauma Center is more than three times the size of the hospital’s former Emergency Department. The additional space is crucial in Overlake’s service to the Eastside community as the hospital serves as the back-up healthcare provider to Harborview Medical Center in the event of a large-scale emergency or regional disaster.

Designated as a Level III Trauma Center—the only one on the east side of Lake Washington—Overlake offers comprehensive emergency and trauma services to more than 50,000 patients each year with treatment provided by full-time physicians and nurses who specialize in emergency care.

The goal of Overlake's Emergency Department is to provide prompt, compassionate and excellent care to all patients in need of unexpected medical care. There are several facts you might want to know about admission to and discharge from the Emergency Department.

When you need us, we want to be there.

Review this chart to learn more about when to visit the Emergency Department versus Urgent Care.


	Frank Shaver hip replacement patient An avid skier, Frank Shaver's active lifestyle caught up with him. The retired member of the National Ski Patrol hit the slopes at the start of a recent ski season, only to experience terrible pain in his left leg. X-rays showed the cartilage in his left hip was gone. Frank’s Overlake physician recommended a left hip replacement. When he developed similar symptoms in his right leg a few ski seasons later, Frank underwent a second replacement surgery—this time for his right hip. Today, Frank's legs are even stronger and he’s able to ski as well as ever.


	Katharine Warmerdam weight loss surgery patient Katharine was injured and bedridden for six months as a result of a devastating car crash. After undergoing many surgeries to repair her crushed feet, Katharine was told by her doctor that if she didn’t have weight loss surgery and shed her excess weight, she would spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair. Katharine had the surgery and lost 254 pounds in two years. She no longer has high blood pressure or pre-diabetes. She’s learned to eat healthier and become more active while gaining a new lease on life.


	George Anderson cancer survivor When George Anderson experienced persistent abdominal discomfort, he suspected something was wrong. He was right. A colonoscopy showed he had stage IIIB rectal cancer and needed surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Overlake's interdisciplinary cancer treatment team developed a treatment plan specific to George's condition. Today he is cancer free, enjoys spending time with his wife and grandchildren and continues to live his life to the fullest.


	John Keffer cardiac patient Redmond Fire Captain John Keffer had transferred hundreds of patients to Overlake’s Emergency Department (ED), so when paramedics rushed him to the same ED to for an irregular heartbeat, he appreciated getting immediate access to top-notch treatment. A congenital heart defect had damaged a portion of John’s aorta, causing the irregular heartbeat. During open-heart surgery, Overlake’s expert team of physicians successfully replaced the damaged blood vessel. Today, John is fully recovered.