By Darrell L. Hunt, MD, PhD, FACS
When a medical emergency happens, every minute counts. Whether it’s a severe injury, chest pain, stroke symptoms or a sudden illness, the time between the start of symptoms and treatment can make a life-changing difference.
That is why access to emergency care close to home matters.
Across Middle Tennessee and southern Kentucky, patients deserve to know that when the unexpected happens, expert care is nearby and ready. Through TriStar Health, our 10 hospitals and eight freestanding emergency rooms, with two more under construction in Middle Tennessee, provide around-the-clock access to emergency physicians and highly trained nurses who are prepared to care for a wide range of medical emergencies, using advanced diagnostic tools and proven protocols to quickly evaluate patients and determine the best treatment path.
Emergency departments are often the front door to the healthcare system. Physicians and nurses quickly assess patients, stabilize serious conditions and begin treatments that can save lives and improve outcomes. For many patients, those first moments in the emergency room set the course for everything that follows.
Just as important, these emergency rooms are part of a connected network of care. When a patient arrives at a TriStar Health emergency department, care teams can coordinate with specialists across our hospitals and ensure patients receive the right care at the right place and time.
That system of care is especially important for patients with serious injuries. TriStar Skyline Medical Center serves as a Level I trauma center, providing the highest level of trauma care in our region. In addition, four TriStar hospitals–TriStar Hendersonville, TriStar Summit, TriStar StoneCrest and TriStar Horizon–are designated Level III trauma centers, meaning they have specialized teams and protocols in place to quickly evaluate and stabilize injured patients.
Working together, these hospitals form the TriStar Trauma Network, helping ensure patients receive the care they need as quickly as possible.
Recent research examining more than 2,300 trauma patients across our region shows why this approach matters. Hospitals with designated trauma programs were significantly more accurate in determining which patients truly needed higher levels of care, helping reduce unnecessary transfers and ensuring advanced trauma resources remain available for the patients who need them most.
At TriStar Health, our physicians, nurses and colleagues are committed to being ready at every hour of the day and night. It reflects our mission: Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life.
Because when minutes matter, access matters. And every community deserves emergency care that is ready when it matters most. Find a TriStar Health emergency room near you.
Have a health question? Call Consult-A-Nurse® at 844-706-8773 to talk to a licensed nurse anytime – for free.
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