Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Emergency Department

If this is an Emergency, Call 9-1-1 Immediately!

At Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, we know that medical emergencies can happen anywhere, at any time, to anyone. From minor bumps and bruises to life-threatening conditions and everything in between, our Emergency Department offers the latest in medical technology and skilled physicians providing the most personalized emergency medical care possible to every patient who comes through our doors.

The Emergency Department includes eight private treatment rooms, an incident response room, a family consultation room, secure rooms for psychiatric/substance abuse patients, and a large, 2-bed Trauma/Cardiac Room. We care for nearly 14,000 patients each year (365 days a year, 24 hours a day). We serve people from throughout southeast Vermont, northwest Massachusetts and southwest New Hampshire.

Emergency Team

• BMH collaborates with Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth Health in a unique partnership that staffs both facilities’ Emergency Departments with a team of board-certified, residency-trained Emergency Medicine specialists.
• The core ED team is made up of a group of highly-skilled and experienced providers – physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician’s assistants – all of whom specialize in Emergency Medicine. Some work exclusively at Cheshire or at BMH, but most work in both locations. Team members operate within the protocols of the particular facility in which they practice and are supervised by each facility’s ED Site Director.
• This innovative model has a number of benefits to patients. With such a high level of skill and expertise on site, procedures such as sedations, setting fractures, and intubations can be performed right in the Emergency Department, providing our patients with quick and effective relief.

Right Patient, Right Room

As part of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital’s goal to provide the best possible care for our patients, we have developed a “right patient for the right room” emergency medicine model to deliver efficient, high-quality, personalized care.

• Walk-in patients proceed to the registration desk, where they are greeted by a staff member and asked very few questions: name, date of birth, chief complaint and social security number. At the same time a nurse is paged to triage the patient into the most appropriate acuity level. One of the most important parts of this step is receiving an identification band. This band is unique to the patient and is the foundation for many safety processes.
• Generally, if space allows, the nurse will lead the patient to a room in the emergency department where the more formal triage process will occur. When possible, the nurse will utilize the model of “the right patient for the right room.” Issues requiring fewer resources or acute care will be assigned to one of the minor treatment rooms.
• In many instances the emergency department provider arrives at the room during the triage process or shortly thereafter. The team of physician, nurse and patient devises the most appropriate plan of care and executes that plan safely and efficiently.
• From the time a patient arrives at the Emergency Department to the time they leave, patients are being cared for by a team of providers – nurses, physicians, and physician assistants – all working in collaboration.
• Family or other support persons are encouraged to accompany the patient throughout the emergency care process to provide comfort and to help answer questions.

Emergency Transport

When medically necessary, critically ill or injured patients are transported to Dartmouth Health by helicopter or ground ambulance. This comprehensive emergency air and ground transportation program provides critical care level treatments during rapid transport from the BMH helipad or accident scenes to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. Transport vehicles are staffed by specially trained RNs and paramedics. This service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The program is a partnership between Rescue Inc., Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, and Dartmouth Health.

Mental Health Services

Emergency mental health services are supported through a contract with Health Care and Rehabilitation Services, Inc. A 24-hour-a-day emergency mental health screening service provided by Health Care and Rehabilitation Services staff is available for people of all ages. This service is evaluative in nature and can provide some crisis stabilization when appropriate. Once the assessment is completed, a referral may be made for treatment, inpatient services, or follow-up care to other community services.