Medical Emergencies and Conditions We Treat

Skagit Regional Health Emergency Departments are here for all types of medical emergencies. While many non-life threatening conditions require Emergency Department care, the following conditions are considered especially emergent because they can quickly escalate into a life-threatening condition:

• Severe chest pain and shortness of breath
• Mental health concerns
• Suicidal or homicidal thoughts
• Numbness or weakness on one side of the body or slurred speech
• Severe head injuries
• Severe abdominal pain
• Coughing or vomiting blood
• Serious burns
• Deep cuts or bleeding that won't stop
• Sudden blurred vision
• Sudden dizziness, weakness or loss of coordination or balance
• Sudden slurred speech or difficulty understanding
• Sports injuries involving loss of consciousness
• Seizures
• High fever
• Heat stroke
• Poisoning
• Pregnancy-related health problems or childbirth
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Other life-threatening injuries

What to Expect at the Emergency Department

Upon entering one of our Emergency Departments at Skagit Regional Health, all patients are assessed by a nurse who is specially trained in trauma and emergency medicine. He or she will take a brief history, assess symptoms and check vital signs to determine the severity of the patient’s condition. This process is called “triage,” which means patients with more urgent medical needs are seen faster than patients with less urgent conditions.

If your condition worsens while you are waiting, please notify the front desk staff immediately.

Our priority is to provide the highest quality care as quickly as possible. We care about all patients who come through our doors. Please understand there might be patients experiencing medical conditions more urgent than yours. Although these patients might not look as ill as you feel, this is one time you don’t want to be first. Your wait time might be impacted by the number of patients arriving by ambulance or an overall increased number of patients.