Emergency Care
If you believe you or a loved one are experiencing a true medical emergency, call 911. A trained paramedic can offer immediate medical assistance at your current location or through transport by ambulance to OSF Saint Elizabeth's emergency department.
We offer 24/7 emergency care for adults and children and are one of few area hospitals certified and recognized by the Illinois Department of Public Health as EDAP/EMSC (Emergency Department Approved for Pediatrics/Emergency Medical Services for Children). Averaging a wait-to-discharge time of approximately 2 hours, our ED consistently performs above the national standard.
The ED is staffed by physicians who are board certified in emergency medicine. They are assisted by registered nurses who maintain certifications or training in the following:
- Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (BLS and ACLS)
- Pediatric Advance Life Support (PALS)
- Emergency Communications (ECRN)
- Trauma Nurse Core Course (TNCC) or the Trauma Nurse Specialist (TNC)
- Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE)
What Emergency Service Do I Use?
Wondering whether to use the Emergency Department, an OSF PromptCare clinic or an OSF OnCall Urgent Care in-person clinic or virtual visit?
The Emergency Department is the best place for treating potentially severe and life-threatening conditions such as heart attack or stroke.
OSF PromptCare clinics can be used for urgent conditions that aren't life-threatening but need to be taken care of right away, such as sprains, skin rashes or a severe sore throat.
OSF OnCall Urgent care, with in-person and virtual visits, can also be used for minor illnesses and injuries. Virtual visits have the added convenience of being available 24/7 from wherever you are.
OSF Life Flight
When the seriousness of your injury or illness warrants a transfer to OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center or OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, we utilize OSF Life Flight, an air medical service for the quickest transport. OSF’s air ambulance operations are the busiest in the state of Illinois, logging more than 2200 flights annually.
OSF Life Flight is available for emergency transport 24 hours a day. A new, state-of-the-art American Eurocopter EC 145 helicopter is stationed full-time at nearby Illinois Valley Regional Airport - Walter A. Duncan field in Peru. The medical helicopters can transport up to two patients and four crew members, including pilots.