Emergency Department

The Emergency Department at Northwest Texas Healthcare System (NWTHS) plays an essential role in caring for the urgent health needs of Amarillo and the surrounding region. As a Level III Trauma facility, the emergency department cares for more than 57,000 patients each year.

The region's only designated trauma center receives many patients with life-threatening injuries. NWTHS has an emergency department with a long history of providing advanced medicine in a caring, efficient and cost-conscious environment. With a team of experienced physicians working in cooperation with other specialists, NWTHS provides efficient, quality treatment.

NWTHS provides two air medical transport services, LIFESTAR 1 and LIFESTAR 2, the only service in the Panhandle.

Trauma
In trauma care, experience counts. The physicians and nurses of the emergency department have years of experience treating all types of trauma, from broken bones to serious wounds to multi-system injuries.

Advanced emergency medicine provided at Northwest Texas Healthcare System includes:

Early intervention for strokes
Management of trauma conditions: falls, motor vehicle accidents, fractures, sprains, asthma management
Management of acute back pain
Expertise in lacerations, crush injuries, abrasions
Treatment of migraines
Evaluation and management of acute abdominal pain
Acute eye conditions
Treatment for common infections: pneumonia, kidney infections, skin infections
Treatment of problems associated with diabetes, obstructive lung disease, heart disease, chronic medical problems
Treatment for poisonings or exposure to toxic substances

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE)
A team of specially trained nurse examiners provides care for victims of sexual assault. This team works with law enforcement to collect and document necessary forensic evidence with appropriate care and facilitates follow-up for the patient.

Early intervention for heart attacks
Early intervention for strokes
Management of trauma conditions: falls, motor vehicle accidents, fractures, sprains, asthma management
Management of acute back pain
Expertise in lacerations, crush injuries, abrasions
Treatment of migraines
Evaluation and management of acute abdominal pain
Acute eye conditions
Treatment for common infections: pneumonia, kidney infections, skin infections
Treatment of problems associated with diabetes, obstructive lung disease, heart disease, chronic medical problems
Treatment for poisonings or exposure to toxic substances

Level III Trauma Facility -- the only one in Amarillo!

Level III Trauma facility
The goal of trauma care is to get the patient to the right facility at the right time. Northwest Texas Healthcare System has been designated by Texas Department of Health (TDH) as the Lead Trauma Facility in the top 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle. This designation is based on Northwest Texas Healthcare System's demonstrated commitment to care of the critical trauma patient.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has established guidelines for the optimal care of the injured patient. ACS also has established criteria that facilities must meet to show their ability to care for the trauma patient from the point of injury through rehabilitation. TDH has adopted and enhanced these criteria and designates trauma facilities when they have met or exceeded these requirements on a consistent basis for an extended period of time.

Northwest Texas Healthcare System provides emergency care and stabilization of the injured patient. This may include transfer to a higher level trauma center if necessary. Lead Trauma Center designation includes:

A trauma team that responds to the critically injured trauma patient upon arrival at Northwest Texas Healthcare System.
Surgeons credentialed in trauma care on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Emergency medicine physicians credentialed in trauma care are present in the Emergency Department 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
RNs specially trained in trauma care in the ED, ICU, OR, PICU, helicopter and med-surg areas.
Paramedics specially trained in trauma care via ground EMS and air EMS.
A communications system that provides for prearrival notification of the trauma team for the trauma patient.
Evaluation and improvement of the quality of care delivered to the trauma patient from the point of injury through rehab.
Injury prevention and community awareness activities.
Ongoing trauma education for physicians, nurses and pre-hospital personnel throughout the service area.
Participation with other facilities and EMS agencies throughout the region to triage injured patients to the most appropriate facility.

9-1-1

If you are having a medical emergency, don’t wait. Go to the nearest emergency room or call 911.

Accredited Chest Pain Center

Emergency intervention for chest pain is coordinated with cardiologists, radiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons who are known for their success in treating people experiencing chest pain.

Time is critical for anyone experiencing symptoms of a heart attack. Waiting too long before going to the emergency department may increase the amount of heart damage. Seeking immediate treatment can make a big difference in the quality of life after recovery.

Depending on the type and severity of the heart attack, the cardiac team takes patients from the emergency department directly to a catheterization lab to administer treatments to clear blocked arteries and restore blood and oxygen flow to damaged heart tissue. At Northwest Texas Healthcare System, a cardiac team and fully equipped cardiac catheterization suite is available 24 hours a day. Patients are evaluated rapidly and begin a course of treatment.

Note: The information on this Web site is provided as general health guidelines and may not be applicable to your particular health condition. Your individual health status and any required medical treatments can only be properly addressed by a professional healthcare provider of your choice. Remember: There is no adequate substitution for a personal consultation with your physician. Neither Northwest Texas Healthcare System, or any of their affiliates, nor any contributors shall have any liability for the content or any errors or omissions in the information provided by this Web site.

The information, content and artwork provided by this Web site is intended for non-commercial use by the reader. The reader is permitted to make one copy of the information displayed for his/her own non-commercial use. The making of additional copies is prohibited.

Emergency Department

Level III Trauma Facility -- the only one in Amarillo!

9-1-1

Accredited Chest Pain Center

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