Emergency care
Emergency care is the treatment of unexpected, severe medical injuries or infections. It is typically delivered in an emergency room or an ambulance. Our emergency medicine physicians stabilize your condition as quickly as possible to prepare you for the next step of care or discharge.
Emergency room (ER) in Summerville, South Carolina
In a life-threatening health situation, our team understands the need for quick and effective care.
Summerville Medical Center provides accurate diagnoses and effective treatment for your critical needs. Our services include burn care, pediatric emergency care, heart attack care and stroke care.
Expert advice, available 24/7
Free health-related information is just a phone call away. Our nurses help you understand your symptoms, treatment options and procedures. They will also help you find a provider or specialist and schedule an appointment.
Free health-related information is just a phone call away. Our nurses help you understand your symptoms, treatment options and procedures. They will also help you find a provider or specialist and schedule an appointment.
Common reasons for needing emergency care
Signs that require immediate attention at the emergency room include:
- Heart attack
- Mental illness that has worsened
- Physical injuries, like fractures
- Serious injury
- Severe burns
- Severe head injuries or fractures
- Side-of-body numbness or weakness
- Stroke
- Sudden chest pain
- Sudden dizziness
- Uncontrolled bleeding
- Wounds from gunshots or stabbings
- Worsening chronic conditions
Specialty emergency care offerings
When you come into our care, your condition may sometimes require specific, specialized support. That's why we provide care tailored to your needs.
Burn care
Our burn care team is made up of highly specialized surgeons, physicians assistants, nurse practitioners and registered nurses. They prioritize a multidisciplinary approach to caring for and treating severe burns of all degrees. Your proper healing is always the goal, and our team will handle your treatment to help you on the road to recovery.
Burns our specialists treat include:
- Chemical
- Electrical
- Friction burn or road rash
- Frostbite
- Thermal
Pediatric emergency care
Our emergency room is fully equipped for pediatric care, and each of our emergency department specialists is trained to provide compassionate and comfortable support for your child.
When more specialized care is recommended, our pediatric ER's 24/7 staff and pediatrician-trained physicians will be there to welcome your family and deliver the assistance your child needs. Our pediatric ER is equipped to treat newborns to children up to 17 years old with our advanced, child-sized medical equipment.
Heart attack care
Our emergency department team is specially trained to quickly diagnose and begin treating heart attacks. They are proficient in delivering specialized care with advanced technology.
It is important to be aware of the signs of a heart attack to know when you should come to the emergency room. Signs of a heart attack can include:
- Chest pain (may be described as discomfort, pressure, aching, burning or fullness; may begin or worsen with exercise or be relieved with rest or nitroglycerin)
- Pain in the back, jaw and other upper body areas (the pain might go away and come back)
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach or throwing up)
- Anxiety or a sense of dread
- A cough
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Weakness or fatigue
- A fast heart rate
- Indigestion
Signs of heart attacks in women can be less obvious and may include:
- Pain in the jaw or upper back
- Light-headedness
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
Heart attacks are serious and can be potentially fatal. Call 911 immediately if you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms.
Stroke care
Signs of a stroke that require immediate medical attention include facial drooping, arm or leg numbness or slurred speech. When these symptoms occur, a fast response can minimize the risk of brain damage, long-term injury or even loss of life.
The Joint Commission recognizes our facility as a Primary Stroke Center. Our team of neurologists are qualified to treat symptoms of strokes using versatile approaches. Our stroke centers provide:
- Dedicated stroke program
- Dedicated stroke-trained staff who provide rapid response
- Rehabilitation assessment
- Stroke education and prevention programs
ER Fast Track
We handle every medical emergency with the utmost importance, however, not every emergency requires the same kind of attention.
Our fast-track emergency care
Our ER Fast Track provides accelerated care if you are less critically ill. This service was developed to efficiently treat mild ailments and injuries in our patients, such as cuts and colds. If you are under the care of our ER Fast Track service, you are supported in an independent unit inside our emergency department.