The Emergency Department

The 49 bed Emergency Department has 29,000 square feet, and was recently renovated to increase patient care areas.  We have trauma facilities, a pediatric emergency department, a fast-track area, our own CT scanner, a hyperbaric unit,  office space and a conference area.   The Emergency Department sees 70,000 patients a year with a wide range of pathology and acuity.  Approximately 14,000 of these patients are admitted. 

Morristown Memorial Hospital is the Regional Trauma Center and is recognized by the American College of Physicians and Surgeons as a level one Trauma center.  Trauma facilities include a large bay equipped for multiple patients, and a full complement of the latest equipment. Patients arrive from throughout northwestern New Jersey via helicopter and ambulance.

Emergency Medicine residents are present in the Emergency Department around the clock under the supervision of and Emergency physician attending.  The Emergency Medicine attending delegates patient care to Emergency Medicine residents in accordance with their level of training.  The Emergency Department is very busy and residents are given significant responsibility for patient care, without being allowed to outpace their abilities.  Senior Emergency Medicine residents are responsible for managing major trauma three times a week.  The Emergency Medicine attending is always available to the resident for consultation and is responsible for seeing every patient.

The laboratory, radiology department and operating rooms are adjacent to the Emergency Department.  Excellent ancillary services permit the Emergency Medicine resident to spend his or her time providing direct patient care with minimal nursing or secretarial duties.   X-rays can be reviewed on-line. All charting is done electronically.

The newly built Pediatric Emergency Department is adjacent to the Emergency Department within the Goryeb Children’s Hospital. There is also a designated area for ambulatory adult patients, with a digital radiography room within the department for fast turn-around. Psychiatric services are available within the department, 24 hours a day.

From multiple computers within the department, residents are able to access, via the internet, many medical information resources such as Medline.  There is also an extensive emergency medicine library available on-site.

The Emergency Department is the base station for the MICU State certified paramedics provide pre-hospital care, under physician control, via voice communication with the Emergency Department base station. The MICU Medical Director is member of the Department of Emergency Medicine.