Helene Connolly , MD
Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine

To learn more about Mercy's comprehensive emergency services, call 312.567.2600

In an emergency, seconds matter, and access to experienced healthcare professionals and the latest medical technology can literally mean the difference between life and death.

Fortunately, the highest-level emergency care is right here in the community. Mercy’s Emergency Center is staffed around-the-clock by board-certified emergency medicine doctors and is equipped to handle the most serious medical emergencies. Our state-of-the-art facility allows our providers to make fast and accurate diagnoses, and provide prompt treatment and life-saving care in a calm and compassionate setting.

Specialized Care
No matter what brings you or your loved one to the Emergency Center, Mercy has the specialized services, experienced staff, and state-of-the-art equipment to handle the situation.

Emergency and Trauma Care
Mercy’s state-of-the-art Emergency Center offers comprehensive emergency services in a spacious, private and compassionate setting. The Center features 25 private treatment suites, two nurses’ stations, spacious waiting areas, private triage areas, and a six-bay ambulance area with private entrance. One of the treatment suites is a “decontamination” room that can be used in the event of an emergency involving chemical exposure.

As a Level II Trauma Center, the Mercy Emergency Department is equipped to handle all medical emergencies, injuries and illnesses. To be certified a Level II Center, hospitals must provide 24-hour access to both trauma surgeons and a wide array of medical specialists. Mercy is one of only a few Level II Centers in Chicago.

Heart & Stroke Care Excellence
Mercy is a leader in heart and stroke care, and the Emergency Center is integral to our delivering superior stroke and heart care.

Stroke
In the event of a stroke, timeliness of care is critical. Rapid diagnosis and prompt treatment can help prevent permanent disability or even death. As one of the few designated Stroke Centers in Illinois, Mercy offers a sophisticated and comprehensive approach to caring for stroke patients, and it all starts in the Emergency Center. All Emergency Center staff is trained to recognize the signs of stroke and to implement Mercy’s advanced stroke treatment protocol. If a patient is identified as a stroke patient, a CT is performed within 30 minutes to determine the type of stroke and, subsequently, the best course of treatment. There is a neurologist on-call 24 hours a day to guide treatment of stroke patients.

To improve outcomes and best-practice protocol, Mercy participates in numerous clinical studies. If you seek stroke care at Mercy within six hours of the onset of symptoms, you may be a candidate for one of several new early-treatment options. (info forthcoming..)
Learn more about our Stroke Center...

Heart
A rapid response is also critical when it comes to matters of the heart. With more than half of Emergency Center admissions related to chest pain, our emergency medicine team has considerable expertise in recognizing the signs of a cardiac emergency. All Emergency Center staff is trained to implement Mercy’s advanced care protocols. The Mercy Cardiac Catheterization lab is available 24 hours a day to address emergency heart care needs, and cardiologists are on call around-the-clock to guide treatment.

We rank in the 90th percentile nationwide for response time to heart attack patients. At Mercy, it’s just 90 minutes from the door to a procedural intervention, such as an angioplasty or cardiac catheterization. The time to an EKG is just 10 minutes after arrival, while the national benchmark is 11 minutes.

Fast-Track Care
The Emergency Center utilizes a fast-track program to ensure that patients requiring immediate attention receive it in an expedited and calm manner. Upon arrival at the Emergency Center, all patients will be assessed and interviewed, or triaged. At that time, patients are assessed for potential fast-track care, and then admitted accordingly. The program helps to reduce wait times and anxiety levels for patients needing advanced emergency care.

Our Providers
All Emergency Center physicians are board certified or board eligible in Emergency Medicine. Many of our physicians are leaders in the field and speak to national audiences on Emergency Medicine issues.

As a teaching hospital, Mercy is an important training ground, and medical residents from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine work under the direct supervision of our attending physicians. In fact, Mercy has trained thousands of exceptional physicians since inception. Visit any city in the country and there’s a good chance you’ll encounter a leading physician who was trained at Mercy. We are proud of our long tradition of experts teaching experts.

A multi-lingual, cultural, and diverse group of doctors, nurses, and clerks staff the Emergency Center. When the staff is not able to personally provide translation services, we utilize a 24-hour language line. This ensures that all patients receive both quality and comforting care. All of our nurses are certified in Advanced Critical Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support.

Pediatric Care
Parents can rest assured that even the littlest patients are in good hands at the Emergency Center. A 2004 remodel of the Emergency Center created a separate space just for children, the Higginbottom Urgent Care for Kids Unit. The unit is outfitted with pediatric-sized equipment, while the seven pediatric treatment suites feature a children’s theme, wall murals, and children’s educational videos. The separate waiting area contains a children’s play corner. All pediatric patients are assessed for possible fast-track care, which helps to expedite care and minimize children’s and parent’s anxiety levels.

Beyond the Emergency Center
At Mercy, we treat the whole person, and that means continuing to treat you beyond your emergent care. From offering assistance to locate a primary physician, coordinating outpatient services or follow-up care, or connecting with community resources, on-site patient advocates and social workers work to connect patients with care beyond that needed in the Emergency Room. Careful attention is given to educating the patient on their condition and any follow-up care that may be needed.

The Right Place to Be
With more than 43,000 visits a year, our Emergency Center is one of the busier emergency departments in Chicago, yet each patient receives timely and attentive care. All of our doctors and nurses are sensitive to the diverse populations we serve, and attuned to the unique needs and fears these patients may bring to the Emergency Center.

In an emergency, you don’t want to worry about the quality of care. You can rest assured that if you or your loved ever requires emergency care, the Mercy Emergency Center is here to provide the most advanced care available.