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| Home > Clinical Departments | |
Department of Emergency Medicine DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE OVERVIEW:New York Downtown Hospital operates the only 24-hour Emergency Department in Lower Manhattan. After the tragic events of September 11, 2001, when the Department treated over 1,500 victims and conducted the largest disaster response in American history, a community-wide fundraising campaign was launched in order to support the construction of a new, state-of-the-art facility. The Lehman Brothers Emergency Center at New York Downtown Hospital officially opens in September 2006. As the only emergency facility in the entire area, the new Emergency Center is a vital lifeline for the community’s millions of residents, workers, and tourists. The Lehman Brothers Emergency Center at New York Downtown Hospital is twice the size of the previous emergency center. The new facility includes the largest decontamination unit in the city. Every patient area has been upgraded, including those for women, children, asthma and chest pain patients, and those in need of prompt, non-acute care. The new facility also includes The Herman Goldman Department of Emergency Medicine, and many other improvements which will enhance the Hospital’s ability to respond to both individual and community-wide emergencies. The $25 million renovation and expansion project was made possible by a leadership gift from The Lehman Brothers Foundation. An additional $16 million was raised through the support of many generous donors and the Hospital is working diligently to raise the last $4 million needed for this critical project. If you wish to support Lower Manhattan’s only Emergency Center, please call the Office of Development and Public affairs at (212) 801-1700. SERVICES PROVIDED Downtown Hospital is a 911 receiving Hospital and a Community Level Trauma Center. The new Emergency Department contains specialized cardiac care beds where chest pains can be rapidly and accurately assessed, spacious gynecology suites, and a dedicated four-bed pediatrics unit. In addition, our physicians are highly experienced in the use of bedside ultrasound, an advanced diagnostic tool which allows rapid evaluation of cardiovascular, abdominal, and obstetrical emergencies. Because of the Downtown community’s cultural diversity, Downtown Hospital has Chinese and Spanish Translators available twenty-four hours a day. For all other languages, we have access to an employee data base and a phone-in translation service. In addition, all Emergency Department physicians are bilingual in Mandarin, Cantonese, or Spanish. PROMPT CARE Our Emergency Department operates a Prompt Care section dedicated to minor medical and surgical emergencies. The new Prompt Care area will consist of eight suites. This will greatly improve our ability to evaluate and treat walk-in patients. The area is staffed by Certified Physician Assistants who are supervised by our Attending Physician Staff. AMBULANCE SERVICES The Emergency Department of Downtown Hospital has the distinction of providing the longest continuously running ambulance service in New York City, dating back to the late-1800s. We operate exclusively Paramedic (Advanced Life Support) Units. We provide twenty-four hour coverage to Lower Manhattan in conjunction with FDNY EMS. These units are under the Medical Direction of the Emergency Department. Their dispatch is controlled by the NYC 911 system OUR AFFILIATIONS Downtown Hospital is a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System and an affiliate of the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. Working closely with, and having full access to, all the resources of one of the most outstanding tertiary care medical centers in the country enables Downtown Hospital and the Emergency Department staff to provide our patients with the highest quality of medical care. OUR FUTURE The Emergency Department of Downtown Hospital will continue to evolve to respond to the needs of our growing, richly diverse community. The completion of the Lehman Brothers Emergency Center enables the Hospital to increase community training, disaster planning, and the coordination of corporate medical services throughout the Downtown area. CONTACT INFORMATION Emergency Center Location: Gold Street, between Spruce and Beekman Streets Emergency Department Number: (212) 312 - 5070 Prompt Care (Fast Track) Number: (212) 312 - 5094 Administration: Administrative Director: (212) 312 - 5500 Peter Fromm Office Manager: (212) 312 - 5068 Wanda Coleman Acting Chief: (212) 312 - 5547 Antonio Dajer MD Nurse Manager: (212) 312 - 5061 Arlene Eastman EMS: (ambulance): Chief Paramedic: (212) 312 - 5002 Lloyd Maxwell ECI (life support training): (212) 312 - 5557 Frequently Asked Questions: When can I expect to receive a bill for my Emergency Department visit? If you presented an insurance card at the time of your visit to the Emergency Department, you may never receive a bill, as it may be forwarded directly to your insurance company. Bills are processed within six days of your visit. However, due to many company billing requirements, the submission of a bill is often delayed awaiting final review of lab tests or x-rays. Your insurance carrier may also hold the bill for more information from the hospital about the visit. Therefore, it is not uncommon to wait weeks or months to receive bills for services. Why do I get more than one bill? There are three different components to an Emergency Department bill. One or more of these components may be applicable to your case. The first portion is the Hospital Bill. This is the charge for the Emergency Room, the Nurse, the supplies, and equipment. The second portion is the Physician Bill. This is for the Doctor or Physician Assistant charges. Some insurance carriers want these two bills submitted together. In that case, only one bill is generated. The third portion is the Consultant’s Bill. You may or may not get this bill, depending upon whether these services were provided. This bill covers laboratory and x-ray readings, and specialist consultations. These are billed by the individual consultant or group and are independent of the Emergency Department Billing. What if I don't have my insurance card with me when I come to the Emergency Room? What often happens is that the bill is then sent to your home. If you get such a bill, simply forward it to your insurance carrier, or, if it comes with a return envelope, make a photocopy of your insurance card. Then place the photocopy and the bill in the return envelope and mail it back to the Hospital. It will then be processed. Do you accept all types of insurance? In general, the Emergency Department accepts all types of insurance, even traveler's insurance, with only rare exceptions. However, Downtown Hospital will treat any patient in need of emergency care regardless of that patient’s ability to pay. What if I don't have the money to pay, or cannot pay right away? Downtown Hospital will treat any patient in need of emergency care regardless of that patient’s ability to pay. If you do not have insurance, and don't have the money to pay the bill, please contact the outpatient billing office. They can provide for smaller payments or other arrangements. It may also be possible to qualify for Medicaid if you are a New York resident (or from another State as well). There is a Medicaid office located in the Hospital to assist you in the application process, or you can contact the State Medicaid Office. What if I have further questions about my bill? For question about the Hospital portion of your bill, please contact Outpatient Billing: (212) 731-3224 For questions about the Physician portion of your bill, please contact Healthcare Business Resources: (800) 777-2455 |
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