Emergency Department

In order to effectively treat all patients presenting to the ED, the facility is divided into seven different emergency treatment areas. Our emergency treatment areas are:

• Triage – located near the entrance where your needs will be assessed by a nurse and the urgency of the care you require will be determined. The clerical team will also collect information from you including Medicare and health care details.
• Resuscitation area – is a designated area for the assessment and treatment of patients requiring a high level of emergency care.
• Treatment unit – the area for assessment and treatment of patients who have injuries or illnesses that are not life threatening.
• Paediatric unit – a specifically designed area used mainly for the assessment and treatment of babies, children and adolescents.
• Main department – the area for the assessment and treatment of adult emergency patients.
• Emergency Admissions Unit (EAU) – a specific area for patients who need an extended period of emergency treatment or observation.
• Mental Health Observation Area (MHOA) - the specifically designed area of the ED used mainly for the assessment and treatment of patients with mental health related care needs.

When arriving at the hospital ED you will first enter the triage area. At this point you will be assessed by a nurse and the clerical staff will gather some information from you. You will then wait for an available location that best suits your clinical needs.

The length of time you will wait does vary depending on the urgency of your clinical needs, the area you are allocated to and the current demands on that area. While you are waiting the triage team is available to answer any queries you may have, and can also reassess you if your condition changes during this time.

During your stay you may be seen by a number of different ED team members who all work together to collectively meet your health care needs.

Please remember that some patients may require time critical care to prevent deterioration and these patients will be seen and treated as a priority by our team.

After your emergency assessment and treatment in our ED, the following next steps may occur:

• you may be discharged and if needed, further information will be provided to you.
• you may need to be admitted to the Emergency Admission Unit for a further period of time to receive ongoing treatment and care.
• you may be admitted to hospital for ongoing specialist patient care and treatment.
• sometimes patients may need to be transferred to another hospital for specialist treatment that is not available at Joondalup Health Campus.

After being assessed in our ED your treating team may decide you need to be admitted to hospital for further tests or treatment. If you have private health insurance, you have the option to be admitted as either a public or a private patient.

Whether you choose public or private admission, you can be assured you will be receiving the highest standard of medical care. Some points of difference to note when considering public or private admission are outlined below.

• As a private patient you will generally be admitted to a ward in our new Joondalup Private Hospital (with the exception of paediatric and some rehabilitation patients).
• As a private patient you can choose the medical or surgical consultant who will treat you.
• There will usually be some out of pocket expenses (gap fees) as a private patient in relation to pathology, radiology, anaesthesia and pharmaceuticals (if you need these services).
• As a private patient you will receive an estimate of expenses detailing the applicable health fund rebates and gap fees associated with your hospital stay.

It is important to note that once you have elected to be admitted as either a private or a public patient this decision cannot be reversed at a later stage during your admission.

Our Patient Liaison Officers (PLOs) or hospital staff can provide information and help guide you through the admission process and assist with making the best choice for you.

If you can, please bring the following items or try to arrange for someone to bring them to you:

• a current list of any medicines you are taking
• your Medicare and private health care information
• any recent letters from doctors or specialists
• money for parking.

Please DO NOT bring along any items of value to the hospital. If you do have any items of value with you please give these to friends or family for safe keeping.