Emergency Care

Our safe and ready Emergency Department combines world class medical expertise with first-in-class safety protocols so you’ll get the right care, treatment, and attention you need – right here in our hospital.

Holy Family’s Emergency Departments in Methuen and Haverhill provide emergency care to the communities of Methuen, Andover, North Andover, Lawrence, Haverhill, Groveland, Georgetown, Massachusetts, and the communities of Salem, Atkinson, Plaistow, and Newton in bordering Southern New Hampshire. Our Methuen campus sees approximately 43,000 patients per year and the Haverhill campus sees 18,000 patients per year.

Patients are seen by a staff of experienced physicians and advanced practice providers (APP). Nursing staff is experienced in emergency care. We have available specialists for different types of emergencies. Admissions are performed by experienced hospitalist physicians. We have in-department psychiatric clinicians and on-site psychiatric services.

 

Call 911 if you or a loved one are experiencing a critical medical emergency such as chest or abdominal pain, severe headache, or loss of function in your arms or legs, inability to breathe, uncontrolled bleeding, or traumatic injury. Calling 911 activates Emergency Medical Services to the patient, so expert assessment and treatment can begin before a patient reaches the hospital.

How do I know when to use the Emergency Room or Urgent Care?

Go to the emergency department or call 911 if you experience the following:

  • Trouble breathing
  • Facial drooping or weakness in an arm or leg
  • Chest pain
  • Bleeding that lasts longer than 10 minutes
  • Seizures
  • Head trauma
  • Sudden acute headache/dizziness
  • Major broken bones
  • Coughing or vomiting blood
  • Sudden confusion, disorientation
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Swallowed a foreign object

Call your doctor’s office or, on evenings or weekends, go to an urgent care center for the following:

  • Regular cough
  • Sneezing or running nose
  • Sore throat
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headaches
  • Vomiting
  • Upset stomach or diarrhea
  • Rash
  • Minor bone fractures
  • Pink Eye
  • Minor Cuts
  • Earache

For more information, click here.

How long will my visit to the Emergency Center take?

That depends on a whole host of factors. But suffice it to say, virtually the minute you enter the Emergency Center, a triage nurse will evaluate you and assess the severity of illness and begin your tests right away based on established protocols. The tests may include lab work, which takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour; X-rays, which take about an hour; and CT scans, which can take several hours. These tests are all part of diagnosing and treating your illness or injury appropriately. Nurses will keep you informed of your status throughout your stay and will help to make sure that you and your family are comfortable and cared for.

On very busy days, the waits can be longer than we would like, or you might expect. While you wait, we monitor your condition and provide appropriate care you need, whether you will be going home or staying in the hospital overnight.

Once the triage nurse has assessed your condition, average wait times to see a doctor and receive treatment vary based on your level of illness. We understand you are in the Emergency Center because you are uncomfortable and even frightened, and we will do our best to keep you as comfortable and reassured as possible while you are waiting. Our aim is to see all patients in a timely manner. We understand that some patients that arrive after you may be seen earlier than you, this is based on various factors as well as their presenting illness and symptoms.

Waiting for Admission

About 15% of our Emergency Center patients need to be admitted to the hospital for ongoing care. Sometimes patients have to wait in the Emergency Center for an inpatient bed. While this process can seem inconvenient, the important thing is that you are receiving the care you need while you wait. Because the Emergency Center is part of the hospital, you have access to whatever care is necessary while we prepare your room in the hospital.