Walker Baptist Medical Center Launches Texting Service for ER Wait Time
Pegasus ED Walker Baptist Medical Center keeps its patients informed with ER wait times via text.
With just a text from their cell phone, Walker County area residents will "Know Before They Go" the current wait time in the emergency room at Walker Baptist Medical Center.
Walker Baptist Medical Center - one of four Baptist Health System hospitals - is launching the new service that encourages residents to text their zip code to 437-411. Within seconds, a reply provides the current emergency room wait time.
"Patients and families always want to know how long the wait will be," said Dr. Kent Taub, medical director of Walker's emergency department. "With ER texting, they'll have the answer before they even arrive at the hospital. It's convenient and practically instantaneous, so I think it will definitely contribute to a more positive experience for our ER patients. And as always, those patients who have serious medical emergencies - stroke, cardiac arrest or trauma - will be seen immediately."
A second text, depending on the patient's zip code, will provide information about the nearest Baptist Health Center, which may help to avoid an emergency visit for non-emergency care. If they wish, the patient can call or choose the option to be automatically connected to the BHC physician office, where an appointment can be scheduled, often even the same day.
"It's an alternative to the ER if you don't have a true emergency," said LeAnn Sullivan, marketing manager for BHC. "Some people use the ER for primary care because they don't have a physician. For these families, this service offers an opportunity to build an important health care relationship with a family health care provider. And, it can help avoid acute care situations that often lead to an emergency situation."
The ER at Walker BMC treated almost 33,000 patients last year and most recent patient satisfaction scores rated Walker's ER at 89 percent - in the "good to excellent" category. The hospital anticipates that the convenience and instantaneous manner of the new ER texting service will increase patient satisfaction even more.
In conjunction with "Know Before You Go," BHS also initiated a new health segment on WBRC FOX6. "In Case of Emergency" features the medical directors of the emergency departments at the four BHS hospitals. The physicians will discuss common conditions frequently treated in the hospital emergency departments. "In Case of Emergency" television segments air weekly during Monday morning programming and again during the Thursday 9 p.m. news broadcast.
Read more: Daily Mountain Eagle - WBMC launches texting service for ER wait time