Emergency Medicine

(718) 963-7391 or (718) 963-7392

Department of Emergency Medicine
The Emergency Department at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center is dedicated to providing timely, quality emergency care to the members of the Brooklyn-Queens community who seek emergency services at this institution for themselves, their children, their relatives and friends.

Emergency services are provided for both adult and pediatric patients in separate and distinct areas. Integrated services are provided for the patients served, through a multi-disciplinary effort from various departments in the hospital.

The Emergency Department supportsthe Hospital's Mission Statement to provide excellence in care through prevention, education, and treatment. The ED's goal is to continually improve the efficiency & quality of the healthcare delivery system, utilizing a strategy of constant community needs assessment in such areas as prevention, patient satisfaction, and adoption of best clinical and administrative practices.

The Emergency Department has positioned itself and the institution to succeed in the changing environment of emergency medicine by enhancing existing programs and adding new services to the department. Wyckoff Heights Medical Center was designated as an Emergency Heart Station in 1996, a 911 Ambulance Destination Facility in 1998 and a Stroke Center in 2004. We are presently awaiting a response from the DOH on becoming a designated Trauma Center.

Emergency Medicine
Patients presented to the Emergency Department (ED) for evaluation and treatment run the gamut from such minor complaints as simple upper respiratory tract infections (Level I ) to those who present with cardiopulmonary arrest ( Level IV ). There is a high incidence of asthma in the patient population served, both Pediatric and Adult.

A Fast Track area is available during peak hours to serve those patients who do not require emergency care but without the emergency system, would be without medical care.

Patients with obstetrical emergencies are triaged to the Labor and Delivery Triage area for appropriate evaluation and care.

Emergency Department Renovation Project
Wyckoff's Emergency Department has experienced a dramatic increase in patient volume over the last 10 years, and due to this increase, ED Leadership and hospital administration recognize the need for a renovation and/or expansion of the facility to improve timeliness and functionality of the ED. We have been actively working with members from the Department of Health and an architectural firm to develop the layout of Wyckoff's new state of the art Emergency Department. The projected layout includes a new three story structure that will house the ED administrative offices, holding area, and staff lounge. In addition, the new ED will expand the number of treatment beds in the Adult Emergency department, Fast track, and Pediatric ED, as well as provide new services such as negative-pressure isolation rooms, a radiology suite, a grieving room, a sexual assault examination room, and an asthma treatment area. Construction is expected to begin at the end of 2006.

Emergency Preparedness
Throughout 2005, Wyckoff Heights MedicalCenter's Emergency Management Team has continued to make advances in enhancing the Hospital's Emergency Management Disaster Plan. Emergency Department staff have received training in the Hospital's Emergency Management Disaster Plan, which includes identification & treatment of biological and Chemical agents, and the appropriate donning of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Wyckoff staff have been actively participating in City-wide drills and meetings to focus on surge capacity decision-making within and between hospitals, networks, and governmental agencies in the event a large scale infectious disease outbreak were to occur in the city.

Ambulance Service
In October 2003, Wyckoff received its New York State DOH Ambulance Service Certificate certifying Wyckoff as a New York State ambulance service and in November 2003, began providing service to the community at a BLS level. In 2005, Wyckoff extended its hours of operation by adding additional ambulances. These additional ambulances will provide Private Response ambulance service and Inter-facility transports to Nursing Homes, affiliated hospitals, and patients and physician offices in the Brooklyn/Queens community.

In 2005, a wireless cardiac monitoring system was installed in the emergency department that allows WHMC to provide state of the art care to patients suffering from acute coronary syndrome (ACS), cardiac related chest pain, acute myocardial infarction and other presentations that may indicate cardiac disease. WHMC treats and admits over 2,000 patients a year for cardiac related illness. The new fully integrated system, similar to that used on WHMC's inpatient telemetry unit will place cardiac monitors at each bedside. As a result, patients will receive leading-edge assessments, improved surveillance and unrivaled parameter analysis of patient heart rate. The system will also improve clinical documentation in patient medical records.

Community Training Center
In 2001, the Emergency Department Community Training Center took over the responsibility for emergency cardiovascular care courses which had previously been performed by the Nursing Education Department. The CTC has extended CPR-AED, BLS, ALS, PALS, and ATLS courses to the community, other hospitals and nursing homes. BCLS, ACLS, and PALS instructor courses are also offered at the Training Center.

Please contact the Community Training Center office at (718) 302-8406 for course offerings and further information.

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