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.
Hospital emergency room (ER) in Asheville, North Carolina
Your emergency is our emergency, so we are ready with fast, attentive care when you need us.
No one expects you to always be ready for a medical emergency — but you can expect it from us. At Mission Hospital, we specialize in treating a diverse range of both adult and pediatric emergencies, whenever they arise.
Related specialties
Learn more about our related specialties.
Health emergencies we treat
As an effective hub for the Western North Carolina region, we are prepared to expertly treat a wide variety of emergencies, including:
- Arm weakness
- Breathing difficulties
- Broken bones
- Chest pain
- Confusion
- Continuous, severe vomiting
- Dislocations
- Eye injuries
- Extreme fever
- Facial drooping
- Poisoning
- Pregnancy-related emergencies
- Seizures
- Severe burns
- Sexual assault
- Traumatic or crushing injuries
- Wounds
- Uncontrollable bleeding
Services we provide in our emergency rooms
With both pediatric and adult emergency rooms on site, our goal is to ensure all members of your family have the opportunity to receive high-quality emergency care.
Emergency services
Our experienced team of medical professionals is prepared to triage, diagnose and treat you in an efficient, yet understanding way. 24/7, we treat emergencies that require immediate medical care as well as injuries and conditions that, while serious, may not be life-threatening.
In addition to being a Comprehensive Stroke Center, we are also the only designated Level II Trauma Center in Western North Carolina. Our regional trauma system was established to ensure you receive appropriate stabilization, transport and high-quality specialty care, including surgery.
Other features of our ER include:
- Emergency response protocol for those experiencing a heart attack
- Expedited transfers from regional facilities
- Fast track areas for minor injuries or illness
- Private exam rooms for patients and families
- Treatment of pain and related symptoms
Children's emergency care
In addition to adult-focused hospital care, we have the only dedicated emergency room for children and adolescents in Western North Carolina. This kid-friendly environment is fostered by specialized pediatric physicians and registered emergency care nurses. They work tirelessly to ensure the comfort, safety and health of your child.
Located in the North Tower of Mission Hospital, we offer the same level of quality emergency care 365 days a year, complete with both on-site teams and a neonatal children's specialty transport team. Ensuring the fast and effective treatment of your child cannot be understated. We streamline our admission process if they need inpatient care. Features of our pediatric ER include:
- 11:00am to 11:00pm hours, with pediatric emergency care available 24/7
- Child life specialists
- Computerized tomography (CT) AI scanner (the only one in Western North Carolina)
- Private exam rooms
- Private waiting area for a safe, family-centered emergency experience
- Serves ages 18 and younger
- Specific design for pediatric patients
Emergency transport services
To be able to treat as many members of our communities as possible, we have a robust regional transport program. This includes our own Mountain Area Medical Airlift (MAMA) helicopters.
Since 1986, our two MAMA helicopters have been providing critical care air transport 24/7 from bases in Asheville and Franklin. These helicopters provide expedited transfers to Mission Hospital from 18 Western North Carolina counties, Eastern Tennessee, Northeast Georgia and Northern South Carolina.
With so many new developments in the mountains being isolated and remote, the MAMA team is available to visit your area, learn where you live and identify appropriate landing sites. Afterwards, they can use a GPS system to log your location for future reference.
Our specialized MAMA nurses, paramedics and respiratory therapists are always at the ready, being the first civilian EMS helicopters in the U.S. to use night vision goggles. In fact, MAMA helicopters typically fly two to three times per day, covering roughly 10,000 square miles, treating critical conditions, such as traumatic injuries and premature infants in respiratory distress.
Forensic nurse services for trauma
In addition to the numerous, traditional ER services that we offer, we also provide you with seamless access to 24/7 forensic nurse examiner (FNE) services.
Dedicated FNE care
We proudly have FNEs on our staff so you can have the compassionate care you deserve if you have been impacted by violence and/or trauma. An extension of the state court system, FNEs have received specialized training and education in injury identification, documentation, as well as the collection of evidence.
Our FNEs are knowledgeable and understanding resources in the event you have experienced:
- Domestic violence
- Human trafficking
- Intimate partner violence
- Pediatric trauma
- Physical assault
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Strangulation
Medical forensic exams
Your FNE will explain all available options for your medical-forensic care. In this case, you may choose none, any or all of the following options:
- Forensic photography
- Medical concerns addressed
- Medico-legal documentation
- Physical evidence collection
- Sexual assault kit collection
You have every right to choose to report a serious incident to law enforcement. If you do not wish to report, the evidence collected may be stored anonymously.
Whether you receive care at all is your choice, and your choice alone. If you decide to proceed with care, you may also withdraw your consent at any time during the exam.
Sexual assault care
We understand the sensitivity and severity of sexual assault. If you have experienced such a traumatic episode, we make sure that you are offered medical care with or without evidence collection and law enforcement reporting.
This type of focused care may include:
- Medical nursing assessment
- Medications to prevent pregnancy
- Medications to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- Medication‘s to prevent HIV
- Referrals to appropriate healthcare providers for immediate care and follow-up
- Referrals to counseling and advocacy
Anonymous sexual assault kits may be stored for up to one year, allowing you time to decide whether or not to move forward with an investigation and aid from law enforcement.
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