Emergency Department

The emergency room at CVMC provides state of the art emergency medicine to the residents of our community. Staffed 24/7 by board-certified physicians and advanced practice providers, and supported by an experienced team, CVMC is ready to treat patients with chest pain, stroke-like symptoms or other life-threatening events.

For non-emergent issues, where patients will still benefit from being seen by a physician or advanced practice provider, CVMC ExpressCare has convenient locations and hours in Berlin and Waterbury.

Our Services

The following are things you need to know about Emergency Care at CVMC:

• Everyone is treated regardless of their ability to pay
• All patients must register when they arrive with information such as name, address, family provider and insurance coverage.
• Treatment will not be delayed because of registration
• If you are too ill to provide the needed information, a family member can help
• Arriving here with your medications or a list of your medications is very helpful to the staff
• You or your family member must sign a consent form which allows the ED staff to treat you and bill your insurance company
• A triage nurse is responsible for evaluating your condition before you are seen by an Emergency Department provider
• You will be seen and treated as soon as possible depending on the seriousness of your situation
• You have the right and responsibility to express any concerns you may have to the nurse assigned to you

Treatment

You will be seen by an Emergency Department provider, assigned a nurse, and may have:

• vital signs (such as blood pressure, pulse and temperature) taken
• x-rays, lab tests, EKGs (heart tracing) or other tests

Depending on test results you may need:

• a visit from a specialist
• admission to the hospital
• bandages, casts or splints
• medication
• IV fluids
• stitches
• surgery

Transfer to Another Hospital

Some patients will require transfer to another hospital for certain critical care conditions. We have longstanding working relationships with the two academic tertiary care hospitals in our region, the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover, New Hampshire. We work closely with them to make many services available to our patients, including:

• STEMI Care: STEMI stands for ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction. That refers to patients having active heart attacks and we treat this with the utmost urgency, stabilizing and rapidly delivering our patients to the University of Vermont Medical Center or Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center for emergent cardiac catheterization and further intervention treatment.
• Stroke Care: Stroke, too, is a condition requiring rapid identification, stabilization, and treatment. If appropriate, we use medication that can open up a blocked artery in the brain. In some other cases, we transfer our patients to the University of Vermont Medical Center or Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center where advanced interventional therapies can be carried out.
• Trauma Care: Some trauma patients who are stabilized in our Emergency Department will be transferred to the University of Vermont Medical Center or Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center for further evaluation and treatment.

In addition to our excellent local ambulance crews, we also have access to DHART (Dartmouth-Hitchcock Advanced Response Team). DHART air medical transportation operates 24 hours a day and seven days a week. DHART helicopter crews transport adult, pediatric and neonatal patients to ANY appropriate medical facility in New England.

Costs and Insurance

The Emergency Department at CVMC treats all patients without regard to their insurance coverage or their ability to pay. If you have insurance, bring your insurance card with you and present it at registration in the ED.

Please note:

Some insurance companies require a referral from the primary care provider to provide full coverage. Coverage may also be reduced or denied if your insurance company determines that your visit did not meet their criteria for an "emergency." Please refer to your insurance policy so that you fully understand the coverage provisions for use of the emergency department.

If you do not have insurance, you can contact a Financial Counselor at 802-371-5999 to help you with your bill.

Follow Up

You will be given instructions when you are released from the Emergency Department. These may include:

• Making arrangements to see a provider or specialist.
• Signs and symptoms that would alert you to return to the ED.