Emergency care

The Level I Trauma Center at Wesley Medical Center is staffed with board-certified emergency physicians, physician assistants and nurses who are specially trained in advanced life-support and emergency treatment. We are fully equipped to handle any life-threatening trauma condition or injury, working closely with emergency medical services (EMS) teams to provide seamless, high-quality care.

In addition to providing trauma care, we promote injury prevention and community education regarding best safety practices in everyday life.

Chest wall injury program

Wesley Medical Center proudly houses the region's only dedicated chest wall injury program, providing specialized, leading-edge care for both chest wall injuries and thoracic injuries and disorders. Our highly experienced team of trauma surgeons offer evidence-based care, working to use surgery to stabilize affected areas and achieve the best possible long-term outcomes for your overall well-being.

For more information about our chest wall injury program, please call (316) 962-2000.

Rib fracture repair

As part of the Level I Trauma Center, we perform the region's highest volume of rib fracture repairs. We use state-of-the-art rib plating technology to treat the most complex injuries and conditions, including:

• Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
• Complex rib and sternal fractures
• Flail chest
• Pulmonary parenchymal injury
• Retained hemothorax/empyema
• Severe, post-traumatic lung failure
• Slipped rib syndrome

Benefits of rib fracture repair

While rib fracture repair may not be right for everyone, benefits of these types of procedures can include:

• Decreased days in the intensive care unit (ICU)
• Faster return to daily activity
• Improved pain control
• Less need for tracheostomy
• Lower risk of pneumonia
• Quicker use of mechanical ventilation
• Shorter hospital stay

If your little one needs advanced emergency care, the team at Wesley Children's Hospital is here to help. Here, dedicated emergency medicine physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists and child life specialists strive to create an encouraging and nurturing environment for children and their families.

Our advanced equipment fits children of all ages, and our specialists will determine the correct course of action once we diagnose your child's condition. Common medical concerns we treat include burns, severe cuts, head injuries and seizures. We also treat severe fever, but it is important to know when exactly to go to the ER for a fever.

Both our hospital and freestanding ER locations are open 24/7, with the exception of the pediatric ER at Wesley Children's Hospital ER, which is open daily from noon to midnight. However, children can be seen in any of our ER locations. Our area ERs include:

• Wesley Children's Hospital ER
• Wesley Medical Center ER
• Wesley Woodlawn Hospital & ER
• Wesley Andover ER
• Wesley Derby ER
• Wesley West ER & Diagnostic Center

If you or a loved one are experiencing what you believe is a life-threatening medical emergency, or a condition that will seriously harm you in the next 12 to 24 hours, please call 911 or go to your nearest ER immediately.

Once you check in at the reception desk, the triage nurse will ask you about your symptoms and medical history. Triage is a process that helps determine how quickly you need to be seen, based on the severity of your condition. Life-threatening conditions will always be treated first. Depending on the severity of your condition, you may be:

• Asked to take a seat in the waiting room until a healthcare provider or appropriate room is available.
• Immediately taken by a doctor or nurse to a room for examination and treatment.
• Taken to an area for laboratory tests or X-rays. There may be a waiting period of 30 minutes to two hours until tests or X-ray results are available.