What to Expect as a Patient

A little while ago, everything was fine. But now a health condition, accident or mishap has brought you to the emergency room. If you are experiencing stress and anxiety, it’s understandable. We are committed to providing you outstanding and rapid care with Overlake’s renowned personalized approach. If you know what to anticipate in the Emergency Department, it can help alleviate your concerns. 

Arrival

You have come in through our front door, located off NE 10th St., Bellevue, unless you have been transported here by first responders, who use an ambulance entrance. 

About Emergency Department Wait Times

Patients who come to our emergency department receive an initial medical evaluation and then are treated based on the severity of their condition. This means your wait time will vary depending on the severity of your condition and the severity of the conditions of other patients in our emergency room.

Patients who need the most immediate care, such as those experiencing heart attacks, strokes, severe bleeding or other potentially life-threatening conditions, are given the highest priority. Because each patient’s condition is unique, it is not always possible to give you an estimate of how long you will wait to be seen by an emergency room provider.

Some patients bypass our emergency waiting room and are brought to the hospital by ambulance. Treatment of these patients may also impact the wait times of other emergency room patients.

Please know that we strive to see every patient as quickly as possible, and we thank you for your patience and understanding.

Being Seen

After a brief check-in, you see a registered nurse who evaluates the severity of your condition. The nurse takes your blood pressure, heart rate, temperature and other vital signs and asks about what you are experiencing. 

If your condition is less acute, you may be seen in our rapid care area. This area specializes in the treatment of sprains, minor cuts, quickly-treatable illnesses and other cases of lower severity, providing you services fast while speeding the flow of Emergency Department patients.

If your condition is more severe, you are taken to a treatment area where a nurse and an emergency room doctor perform an in-depth health assessment. Depending on your needs, tests might be ordered and performed, and a specialist physician may be called. 

Registration

Patient registration takes place after the nurse determines the severity of your condition upon arrival. Because our priority is providing you care as fast as possible, registration may be conducted in your treatment area. You are asked to provide your mailing address, name of your primary care provider, a photo ID and some other details. If you do not have your personal documents with you, don’t worry; we can obtain the information later.

Keeping You Informed

We work in teams, so each professional caring for you knows about your condition, requirements and treatment. The whiteboard on the wall of your treatment room lists the members of your care team and provides updates on your care plan, such as what tests have been ordered. 

For patients needing language translation, translators and translating devices are provided for free. American Sign Language interpreters are available at no charge.

You can learn more about our medical center and obtain a variety of health information through Overlake’s channel on the interactive television monitor in your treatment room. A variety of other programming is available, too.

Emotional and Spiritual Comfort

Your feelings are important. Our caring team members realize you may be experiencing stress and worry, and they understand. If you would like to speak with our chaplain or a social worker, please let us know.

Leaving the Emergency Department

If you are discharged from the emergency room, you will receive follow-up care instructions. You might be directed to see a specialist and we can provide a referral if you need one. 

If the Emergency Department team determines you need inpatient care, you will be admitted to the hospital as soon as a bed is available for you.

Please Tell Us About Your Experience

After your visit to our Emergency Department, please let us know what you thought. Your insights are vital in our commitment to superb service. If you would like to compliment a member or members of the care team, make sure to tell us. Please send your comments to our Patient Experience team or send a message thorough our contact form. 

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.