Emergency Room
Swedish Emergency Room (ER) teams are equipped to handle most urgent illnesses and injuries, with state-of-the-art equipment, including a sophisticated patient information system. Our teams are also backed up by on-call experts in virtually every medical and surgical specialty. We treat patients as quickly as possible, with wait times much shorter than the national average.
In an emergency, call 9-1-1. Emergency medical personnel transport patients to the nearest emergency room best equipped to handle their immediate needs. If your physician has privileges at Swedish Medical Center, you may want to ask to be taken to a Swedish ER, if appropriate for your situation.
If you feel your condition is not life-threatening, call your doctor first, even if it is after regular office hours. Your doctor can advise you about coming into the office, waiting until the next morning if the office is closed or referring you directly to an emergency room.
As a nonprofit organization, Swedish Medical Center continues its long-standing dedication to treating all patients who need care, regardless of their ability to pay.
We assess and treat all injuries and illness that could be life-threatening or result in serious complications if not addressed quickly. Some of these potentially life-threatening conditions include:
- Bleeding that does not stop
- Changes in vision
- Convulsions lasting more than 15 minutes, or any unexpected convulsions
- Confusion or changes in mental status, difficulty waking or having uncontrollable agitated behavior
- Coughing or vomiting blood
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Difficulty speaking
- Fainting, sudden dizziness or weakness
- Heart attack or severe chest pain
- Loss of consciousness
- Medically-necessary detoxification
- Poisoning (If possible, call the poison control center first, 1-800-222-1222, and ask for immediate home treatment advice. Preliminary home treatment could save your life.)
- Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea
- Severe or unusual abdominal pain
- Severe burns of all types, including chemical and electrical burns – especially on the face
- A major injury, such as a head trauma or a severe sports injury
- Unexplained stupor, drowsiness or disorientation
- Severe or persistent vomiting
- Stroke, sudden paralysis or slurred speech
- Sudden or severe pain
- Suicidal or homicidal feelings
- A bulging or abnormally depressed fontanel (soft spot on the head) in infants
If you have these symptoms, call 911 immediately or get to the nearest emergency department.
We'll do our best to see you as quickly as possible, but sometimes you may have to wait. Here are some reasons why:
- Patients are treated based on the severity of their illness; there may be seriously-ill or injured patients who need immediate treatment
- If your treatment requires tests, you may need to wait for results before the next part of your treatment can take place
- Time is required to transport and complete tests, such as labs or X-rays
- We may be trying to contact your primary care physician or specialist
If possible, bring these items to the ER:
- Photo ID
- Your current medications, or a list of current medications
- Name and telephone number of your emergency contact person
- Your physician’s name and location
- Your health insurance plan information
If you're bringing someone to the ER, don't let them eat or drink anything until they've been seen by medical personnel.
Recognition
U.S. News & World Report - High Performing Hospital in Heart Attack (2024-25)
U.S. News & World Report - High Performing Hospital in Stroke (2024-25)