Emergency care
During an emergency, count on Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula for timely, expert care. You’ll be seen as quickly as possible by kind, driven professionals who are also your Monterey County neighbors. They prioritize your safety and treat you like family, so you can return home in the best health possible.
Medical emergencies
Call 911 or go to the Community Hospital Emergency department any time of day or night if you or someone else experience:
- Allergic reaction (severe)
- Bleeding that won’t stop
- Breathing problems or choking
- Broken bone (fracture) or open wound
- Burns (severe)
- Chest pain
- Concussion (traumatic brain injury) or other head or neck injury
- Electric shock (electrocution)
- Fever with another health issue, such as a weak immune system, recent surgery, or confusion
- Fever in adults over 75 and infants under 2 months
- Injuries caused by a car accident, fall, or other trauma
- Loss of consciousness (passing out)
- Migraine headache that’s severe or unusual
- Pain (severe)
- Poisoning
- Seizure
- Stroke symptoms
- Thoughts of killing or hurting yourself or others
For less serious conditions, consider urgent care — a faster, more affordable alternative. Read our tips for deciding whether you need urgent care or emergency care.
What to expect
Know what to expect when you come to the Community Hospital Emergency department.
Wait times
You’ll receive timely care for your symptoms because:
- We see patients based not on the order they come in, but on the urgency of their symptoms
- Our large department offers plenty of space for the care team to see you, even during busy times
- Imaging technology is available in the Emergency department for a prompt diagnosis
- More doctors, nurses, and technicians are present during the busiest times
Community Hospital patients spend less time in the Emergency department than the state and national averages before leaving or being admitted to the hospital. Usually, you’ll see a healthcare provider within five minutes of your arrival.
Triage
Triage means determining the urgency of your condition. When you arrive, a triage nurse will ask about your symptoms, current medications, and medical history. The nurse will also record your temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure.
Registration
A registrar will ask for your name, address, insurance, and name of your primary care doctor. You’ll need to sign a consent form that gives us permission to treat you and bill your insurance carrier.
Receiving care
As soon as possible, we’ll take you to an Emergency department patient room, where an emergency nurse and physician will see you. You may get imaging exams, lab tests, or an electrocardiogram (EKG) so we can learn more about your symptoms. Lab tests can take an hour or more to show results.
You can’t choose to get a certain test or other medical service. A doctor will listen to your concerns and determine what tests and treatments you need. We don’t routinely prescribe antibiotics, for example
Depending on your diagnosis and treatment plan, you may:
If necessary, we’ll help you transition seamlessly to another hospital if you need a type of care we don’t provide.
Doctors in the Emergency department
Whenever you come to the Emergency department, Emergency doctors will provide care for you as soon as possible. If you need care from another type of specialist, we’ll page a doctor who’s on call.
Other care team members
Your team may also include:
- Nurses who specialize in emergency care
- Pharmacist
- Physician assistant
- Crisis nurses who are available 24/7 and work with on-call psychiatrists to respond to mental health emergencies
- Substance use navigator to help patients get treatment and access local resources
- Monterey County sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) on call 24/7
- Social workers available 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day to help patients find community resources and get follow-up care
- Technicians who perform exams
Pediatric care
Your child will receive compassionate, age-appropriate care from our healthcare providers, including a doctor board-certified in pediatric emergency medicine. All emergency nurses hold certification in pediatric advanced life support (PALS). Trust us for the expertise and specially designed equipment needed to save the lives of young patients, from infants through teenagers.
