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Prepare for the emergency room

Prepare for the emergency room

  • If possible, call ahead to let emergency room staff know you are coming.
  • Call your doctor, if possible. He or she may meet you at the emergency room or call in important information.
  • If you think you may have to wait to be seen by a doctor, take the checklists below and your medical records with you. While you are waiting, you can:
    • Use the Healthwise Self-Care Checklist to help you think through the problem and report symptoms to the doctor.
    • See the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment to organize questions for the doctor.
    • Review the medical test checklist in the Shared Decisions About Medical Tests section of the topic Smart Decisions: Know Your Options.
    • Use your home medical records to help you talk to your doctor about your medicines, past test results, or treatments. Information about your allergies, medicines, and health conditions may be critical.
Author: Jan Nissl, RN, BS Last Updated: May 1, 2008
Medical Review: Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine
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This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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