Emergency Medicine (Trauma)

When things don't go as planned and you find yourself in an emergent situation, our Emergency Medicine staff at Mayo Clinic Health System is prepared to help 24/7/365. The team is ready to provide prompt assessment, resuscitation, intensive care, stabilization and emergency operations for patients of all ages.

Find out more about our emergency services:

Conditions and consultations

We treat a variety of serious conditions that need care fast. If you have nonemergent health concerns, learn about your care options.

Conditions we treat include:

Blood clots
Broken bones and fracture care
Chest pain or pressure
Head injury
Heart attack
Pneumonia
Seizures
Severe abdominal pain
Sexual assault and rape
Shortness of breath
Stroke
Sudden, severe headaches, paralysis or weakness
Traumatic injury
Uncontrolled bleeding

Diagnosis and treatments

We specialize in diagnosing and treating patients for severe and life-threatening situations that require immediate medical attention.

Services we provide to treat you include:

Instant communication with thousands of Mayo Clinic experts
Rapid access to multiple specialties, including:
- Operating room availability 24/7/365 for emergency cases
- Orthopedic trauma surgery
- Advanced diagnostic and treatment capabilities, such as ultrasound, helical CT, interventional radiology, MRI, angiography and cardiac cath lab
Sexual assault nurse examiners — specially trained nurses care for those who have experienced sexual assault or abuse
Telemedicine — connects patients and emergency providers from two or more locations
- Specially trained doctors remotely evaluate patients, make diagnoses, and provide support and treatment recommendations to rural hospitals
- Doctors communicate using digital video cameras, internet telecommunications, robotic telepresence, mobile devices and other technologies
Telestroke — connects local emergency providers with doctors who have advanced training to remotely evaluate a patient who has had an acute stroke. This increases the possibility that stroke patients receive clot-dissolving therapies, called thrombolytics, or other clot-retrieving procedures in time to reduce disability and death resulting from stroke. See FAQs for more information
Trauma care, including American College of Surgeons verified trauma centers

Emergency medicine specialists

The Emergency Medicine team is extensively trained to deliver the best emergency care, so you can expect the same excellence of care and staff teamwork regardless of which location you visit. Our physicians are board-certified in emergency medicine. Our registered nurses are required to have pediatric advanced life support (PALS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) and trauma nurse core competency (TNCC) training. Our providers also have instant communication with thousands of Mayo Clinic experts.

Our specialists include:

Emergency medicine physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants
Stroke nurses
Trauma physicians and nurses

Find emergency medicine specialists near you.

Additional care and therapies may be provided by:

FAQ

What services are available for patients who have experienced sexual assault?

Sexual assault victims are cared for by a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) who has completed special education and clinical preparation to provide expert healthcare services and forensic care. SANE nurses provide many services, including: assessing and treating trauma response and injury, collecting and managing evidence, documenting information, and providing medication as well as emotional support.

What should I expect during my appointment, and what should I bring?

While there is no typical visit to the Emergency Department, you'll likely spend time in the waiting room, register for your visit, talk with a provider in an exam space to form a treatment plan and get diagnostic tests as needed. If you are unconscious, the care team will give you the care they feel is required. If warranted, you will be transferred via ambulance or helicopter to a facility that can provide the care you need.

If possible, bring your current prescription information.

How long does an appointment take?

The appointment length depends on your specific medical situation or concern and the quantity of patients being cared for. Patients with more emergent needs will receive care first.

What does it mean to be a primary stroke center?

Being a primary stroke center means we follow the best practices for stroke care to quickly and correctly treat stroke patients. Our multidisciplinary team of specialists, including emergency physicians, neurologists, neurosurgeons, radiologists, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, technicians and more, work together to significantly improve your outcome after a stroke.

How does telestroke work?

In telestroke at Mayo Clinic, your local provider and the vascular neurologist trained in blood vessel conditions provide care in your local community and may be able to avoid the need for transfer to another medical center.

Telestroke operates on a hub-and-spoke system. Mayo Clinic hospitals serve as the primary medical center, or the hubs, and affiliated hospitals in Mayo Clinic Health System, Mayo Clinic Care Network and beyond serve as the spokes. In telestroke, a vascular neurologist at the hub location consults with providers and patients who have acute strokes at the remote sites, or spokes.

In telestroke, many people work together as a team, including a program manager, clinical coordinator, vascular neurologists, neurosurgeons and radiologists at the hub site, and emergency medicine doctors and other staff at the spoke site. Radiology technicians, informational technology staff, nurses, nurse practitioners and other staff also are important members of the telestroke team.

What happens during a telestroke consultation?

In a telestroke consultation, an emergency medicine provider at your hospital (the spoke) will examine you. If the local provider suspects an acute stroke, they will activate the telestroke hotline at Mayo Clinic to connect with a vascular neurologist for emergent consultation. The neurologist usually responds within just a few minutes.

After you have a CT scan at your hospital, the neurologist at Mayo Clinic performs a live, real-time audiovisual consultation. The neurologist may discuss your medical history and review your test results. They will evaluate you, review the CT scan remotely, work with your local provider to determine the most appropriate treatment and send the treatment recommendation electronically back to the your hospital.

Having a prompt evaluation increases the possibility that clot-dissolving therapies called thrombolytics can be delivered in time to reduce stroke-related disability. To be effective, clot-dissolving therapies must be given as soon as possible after onset of symptoms. There may be other advanced therapies that can be recommended by the stroke specialist.

What are the benefits of telestroke?

Telestroke offers several benefits, including:

Expertise and experience
Stroke hospital physicians work with Mayo Clinic neurologists who have expertise and experience in evaluating and treating people who have had a stroke or have other brain and blood vessel conditions, also called cerebrovascular conditions. Mayo Clinic's campuses in Arizona and Florida are certified as stroke centers by Det Norske Veritas (DNV). Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and Mayo Clinic Health System sites in Eau Claire and La Crosse, Wisconsin, are certified as stroke centers by The Joint Commission, a national organization that evaluates and accredits healthcare providers.
Team approach
At Mayo Clinic hub hospitals, a dedicated staff of neurologists trained in blood vessel conditions, or vascular neurologists; brain surgery, or neurosurgeons; brain imaging, or neuroradiologists; and telestroke work as a team with spoke hospital doctors and other providers at community hospitals.
Individualized care
Mayo Clinic Health System telestroke staff give you individualized care and serve you in your community.
Technology
Vascular neurologists at Mayo Clinic use several advanced technologies in telestroke, depending on your hospital's location and available resources.
Research
Mayo Clinic physicians are actively studying stroke and telestroke, including the most advanced treatments for stroke, new technologies and other aspects of stroke care.
Answers you can trust
We assemble a team of specialists who take the time to listen and thoroughly understand your health issues and concerns. We tailor the care you receive to your personal healthcare needs. You can trust our specialists to collaborate and offer you the best possible outcomes, safety and service. Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean healthcare — and trusted answers — like they've never experienced.

What does it mean to be a Level II trauma center?

A Level II trauma center, verified by the American College of Surgeons, provides 24/7 advanced care for serious and life-threatening injuries, with trauma surgeons and specialty teams available to treat complex trauma cases.

What does it mean to be a Level III trauma center?

A Level III trauma center, designated under standards from the American College of Surgeons, provides rapid assessment, stabilization and emergency treatment for injured patients, with the ability to transfer patients who need more specialized trauma care.

What does it mean to be a Level IV trauma center?

A Level IV trauma center, designated under standards from the American College of Surgeons, provides initial evaluation, stabilization and emergency care for injured patients. These hospitals play an important role in rural and community settings by delivering rapid treatment and coordinating transfer to higher-level trauma centers when more specialized care is needed.

What is the Stop the Bleed program?

Stop the Bleed is a nationwide campaign to empower people to act quickly and assist people with massive or uncontrolled bleeding until professional responders arrive.

What are my payment options, and do you offer financial assistance?

Visit the billing page of your preferred location for information on insurance, billing and payments.

We serve patients in difficult financial circumstances and offer financial assistance to those who have an established need to receive medically necessary services. Learn more about financial assistance options.

What follow-up care do you provide after treatment?

In necessary, we will recommend that you follow up with your primary care provider or see a specialist.

Do you have an after-hours number in case of emergency?

Always call 911 in case of an emergency. For after-hours help with other issues, get virtual care 24/7 through the Primary Care On Demand app or review our convenient care options.