Emergency Medicine

Health care providers in the Department of Emergency Medicine at all three Mayo Clinic locations treat injuries, illnesses that are immediately life-threatening and other emergency conditions. Teams of doctors, registered nurses, advanced providers and other specially trained staff are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to treat anyone seeking emergency medical care. Each year, Mayo Clinic doctors see more than 160,000 patients in the emergency care setting.

Care providers evaluate people who come to the emergency department and determine the severity of their current condition. The care provider can admit people who need immediate care. For others, the provider can recommend outpatient diagnostic or physician evaluation options to address immediate health issues.

If you wish to be seen at Mayo Clinic for a nonemergency condition, request an appointment. Staff in the Department of Emergency Medicine cannot refer you to other Mayo Clinic providers for nonemergency conditions.

The Department of Emergency Medicine at each Mayo Clinic site is part of Mayo Clinic's integrated group practice of health care providers. If needed, Mayo Clinic physicians from other medical and surgical specialties are on call to aid in determining a plan of care for the patient while the patient is in the emergency room.

When patients are discharged from the emergency department, they are given recommendations for any follow-up care that may be needed. Often, the emergency medicine physician will recommend that patients see their primary care providers in follow-up. Patients should refer to their discharge instructions.

People with chronic- or long-standing health conditions should understand that a visit to a Mayo Clinic emergency department may not result in an appointment in another Mayo Clinic specialty department or division.

In addition to treating more common urgent or emergent medical conditions, the Department of Emergency Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota, provides Level 1 Trauma services, caring for patients with extremely severe injuries.

The departments of Emergency Medicine at Arizona, Florida and Minnesota all serve both adult and pediatric patients. Depending upon the pediatric patient's condition and need for medical or surgical subspecialty care in a hospital setting, pediatric patients who are evaluated in the Arizona and Florida emergency departments may be transferred to one of the children's hospitals in that area for treatment. In Minnesota, the full range of pediatric medical and surgical subspecialty hospital care is available within Mayo Eugenia Litta Children's Hospital.

The most common reasons for care and diagnoses include chest pain, respiratory distress, occupational injuries, sprains and fractures, drug overdoses, abdominal pain, injuries from motor-vehicle accidents, seizure disorders, cardiac dysrhythmias, lacerations, ocular injuries, and sepsis.

Emergency Department Self-Registration

Mayo Clinic offers an optional Self-Registration for most people visiting the Emergency Department. It helps save time during your visit as you can complete certain registration steps using your mobile device.

Learn more about Self-Registration.

Arizona

In Arizona, Department of Emergency Medicine physicians provide care for patients at Mayo Clinic Hospital, a 316-bed hospital on the Mayo Clinic campus in northeast Phoenix. The Arizona emergency medicine team has about 40 physicians, more than 100 registered nurses and numerous other clinical support staff.

Florida

In Florida, the Department of Emergency Medicine provides care for patients at Mayo Clinic Hospital, a 304-bed hospital on the Mayo Clinic campus in Jacksonville. The Florida emergency medicine team includes about 30 providers, more than 50 registered nurses and numerous other clinical support staff.

Mayo Clinic Hospital in Florida has been designated an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission.

Minnesota

In Minnesota, the Department of Emergency Medicine cares for patients with about 60 physicians, more than a dozen advanced providers and nearly 30 residents, who are part of Mayo Clinic's Emergency Medicine Residency program. Mayo Clinic Hospital, Saint Marys Campus, has Level I Trauma accreditation, the highest level of emergency care possible. The department operates 72 beds within the 1,265-bed facility.

The majority of patients come from Olmsted County and the six adjacent counties in Southeastern Minnesota. On average, 20% of patients seen in the emergency department are children. A high number of patients have acute or critical emergency needs.