The Emergency Department at Lancaster Community Hospital plays an essential role in caring for the urgent health needs of Antelope Valley residents. The department cares for more than 18,000 patients each year. In addition to Emergency Room services, the hospital treats minor injuries, such as cuts and bruises. A triage process uses a physician assistant (PA) or nurse practitioner (NP) to assist in implementing care or in treating more acutely ill patients, as well as providing quick and efficient care for less acutely ill patients.

A team of physicians and mid-level care providers (RNPs and PAs) work in cooperation with other in-house specialists to provide efficient, quality treatment as follows:

Heart Attack:
Emergency intervention for heart attacks is coordinated with cardiologists, radiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons. The physicians are known for their success in treating people experiencing a heart attack and have one of the country's lowest mortality rates for heart attacks.

Time is critical for anyone experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack. Waiting too long before going to the emergency department may increase the amount of heart damage. Seeking immediate treatment can make a big difference in the quality of life after recovery.

Depending on the type and severity of the heart attack, the cardiac team takes patients from the emergency department directly to a catheterization lab to administer treatments to clear blocked arteries and restore blood and oxygen flow to damaged heart tissue. At Lancaster Community Hospital, a cardiac team and fully-equipped cardiac catheterization suite is available 24 hours a day. Patients here get rapid evaluation and begin a course of treatment.