Going to the emergency room (ER) is never a fun experience, and you’re better off going to an urgent care if your health issue is something minor, like a cough or rash. However, the ER is necessary if you are experiencing an acute life-threatening condition, such as chest pain (symptoms of a heart attack), severe abdominal pain, head injury, severe dizziness, rapid or irregular heartbeat, fractures, seizures, shock, stroke, change in level of consciousness, snake bites, psychiatric illnesses, uncontrolled bleeding, severe burns, severe asthma attack, or inability to walk. If you have any of these symptoms or immediate health conditions, you need to go your nearest ER or call 911.
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There are several emergency medical centers in Colorado Springs, which are always open, and designated as either level II or III trauma centers.
Penrose Hospital
Penrose hospital is part of the Penrose – St. Francis Health System. The ER at Penrose is a level II trauma center and will provide trauma services to patients 16 years and older. Level II trauma designation means that the ER is equipped to provide trauma care for acute patients which include trauma surgeons who are on-call and specialists (such as anesthesiologists) who are ready to treat critically ill patients. Access to ER doctors and nurses is available at all times. Last year, Penrose reported treating almost 1,000 trauma patients.
Location: 2222 N. Nevada Avenue
Phone: (719) 776-5333
St. Francis Medical Center
The ER department at St. Francis Medical Center (part of the Penrose-St. Francis health system) is designed at as a level III trauma center, which means that St. Francis will provide an initial evaluation of a trauma patient when he/she arrives. Once stabilized, the patient can be transferred to a higher-level facility if necessary. St. Francis also has 24/7 hour lab and radiology and access to ER physicians and nurses. Last year, St. Francis treated more than 600 trauma patients. In addition, the ER at St. Francis Medical Center is the only full-service center providing emergency services in northern El Paso County.
Location: 6001 Woodmen Rd
Phone: (719) 571-1000
Memorial Hospital North
Like St. Francis, the ER services provided by Memorial Hospital North are at a lower level trauma III designation. Thus, critically ill patients who are initially brought here will be stabilized and then the transferred to a higher-level trauma facility if needed. Patients still have access to ER doctors and nurses all hours of the day, 7 days a week. Both Memorial Hospital North and Memorial Hospital South (see below) are affiliated with the UC Health System.
Location: 4050 Briargate Parkway
Phone: (719) 364-5000
Memorial Hospital South
The ER services at Memorial Hospital South (also called ‘Central’) are designated as trauma level II, which means that the ER department is equipped to provide trauma care for acute patients which include on-call trauma surgeons and specialists. This hospital also provides comprehensive care in a number of specialties, including cancer, cardiology, pediatrics among others.
Location: 1400 E. Boulder St.
Phone: (719) 365-5000