Emergency Services

Your Emergency Department Visit 

What You Should Know About Your Visit To The Emergency Department

Upon arrival, the triage nurse will see you. If you are having chest pain or difficulty breathing or are in severe pain, please tell the nurse right away. Do not wait in the waiting room area.

The triage nurse will take your blood pressure and pulse. The nurse wil ask you why you have come to the Emergency Department.

Next, you will see a staff person from the registration office. The staffer will update your personal information. Please give this staff person your photo identification and any insurance information you may have, including your hospital identification card.

Please note: You will be seen by a clinician and get treatment even if you cannot pay. You do not need medical insurance to get the help you need.

After registration, you will be asked to wait in the waiting area until you are called into the treatment area. How much or how little time you spend in the waiting area depends upon your condition and the condition of others.

We try to see everyone in order. However, if a more seriously injured or ill person is brought to the Emergency Department, we must treat that patient first.

Once you are in the treatment area, you will be seen by a clinician and be cared for by a nurse. If you are not told why or how long you will be waiting once you are in the treatment area, please ask the nurse.

When your treatment is finished, you will receive discharge instructions from the nurse. Please ask as many questions as you want about your treatment and follow-up care. We want to ensure you understand what to do once you leave the Emergency Department.

If you need to be admitted to the hospital, you will stay in the Emergency Department until your bed is ready.

Due to the high demand for Emergency Department services, there could be many people in the treatment area. Your patience is appreciated, as is your respect for the confidentiality of others being treated.

Do Not Leave the Emergency Department

If you are waiting a long time, you may be tempted to leave the Emergency Department before you are seen by a clinician. We strongly recommend that you do not leave. Leaving without being seen by a clinician can be very dangerous.

• Being seen by a clinician may save your life
• Being seen by a clinician will help keep your problem from getting worse
• Going to another hospital will cause you to lose time before you receive treatment
• Going home may make your problem worse

If you are thinking about leaving the Emergency Department before you have been treated, please speak to the triage nurse first.

Boston Children's Hospital Physicians at Beverly Hospital

If your child should need emergency care, pediatricians from Boston Children's Hospital are always on site at Beverly Hospital. Additionally, these pediatricians can care for your child if your child needs to be admitted to Beverly Hospital.

Let Us Know

The staff at Beverly and Addison Gilbert hospitals strive to do everything possible to meet your needs and the needs of your family. Please feel free to contact the Emergency Department Director or the Nurse Manager with any concerns or comments.

You may receive a patient satisfaction survey in the mail. If you do, please complete it and mail it back to us at:

Director of Patient Satisfaction
Beverly Hospital
85 Herrick Street
Beverly, MA 01915

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why do some patients get seen first?
A. Emergency treatment must be given to the most seriously ill or injured patients first. Ambulances may arrive by another entrance and sometimes those patients are seen before patients who are not as critically ill.

Q. When can I see a family member or friend who is being treated in the Emergency Department?
A. The treatment area is not large and there are often many patients being treated. Patient privacy is an important concern of ours. The nurse will bring you in to see your family member or friend as soon as possible.

Q. I am the patient. Why must I sometimes wait in the treatment room?
A. There are a number of reasons why this may occur. The clinician needs time to talk to you to get to know your medical history. The clinician or nurse may be calling your doctor. The clinician may be waiting for your x-rays or blood tests to come back.

Insurance Coverage

Major health insurance companies cover most components of the emergency department. Check with your insurance carrier to insure eligibility for reimbursement.