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Emergency Care

When emergencies happen you want the best care as quickly as possible. That's why HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital in Shelbyville is ready 24/7. Our emergency department offers all private rooms, a private waiting area and an updated radiology department.

Pediatric Emergency Center

Compassionate in an Emergency.

A child in need of emergency care can be a parent’s worst fear. The team at HSHS Good Shepherd made Julie and her daughter feel safe and cared for during a recent medical scare. Watch as she expresses her gratefulness for the compassion they experienced.

Children have unique medical problems and may display different symptoms than adults. Symptoms that are serious for a child may not be as serious for an adult. Children may also be unable to communicate their condition, which means an adult will have to interpret the behavior. When it comes to your child or a child under your care, seek immediate medical attention if you think they are having a medical emergency.

Medical emergencies are unexpected events and knowing that an experienced health care team is available around the clock and close to home should take the worry out of dealing with them when they occur.

New ER. Investing in You.

From serious conditions like a heart attack to accidents like a broken bone, our physicians and nurses are highly trained and ready to take care of your loved ones of all ages. The nursing team is certified in cardiac life support, pediatric life support and trauma. We also work closely with the Prairie Heart Institute to provide the Stat Heart Program.

When in doubt, check it out

So how do you decide when a medical condition rises to the level of a medical “emergency?” First, always consider dialing 911 if you need urgent help and please teach young children how and when to dial these three very important numbers as well. If you or a loved one experiences any of the following conditions or symptoms, the Emergency Department is likely the place you need to be.

Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
Chest or upper abdominal pain or pressure
Fainting, sudden dizziness, weakness
Changes in vision
Confusion or changes in mental status
Any sudden or severe pain
Uncontrolled bleeding
Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea
Coughing or vomiting blood
Suicidal feelings
Difficulty speaking
Shortness of breath
Unusual abdominal pain

Some things you might have to answer questions about in an emergency department:

Medications you are on
Any prescription medication or food allergies you may have
If immunizations are up-to-date
Your health history and any surgeries you have had

Also remember:

Remain calm
Patients are seen in the emergency room based on the severity of the illness or injury, not on a first-come, first-served basis.

Emegency personnel monitoring woman on stretcher outside of ambulance

Stat Heart Program

The Stat Heart Program streamlines emergency heart care to meet the national goal of providing angioplasty (a non-surgical procedure to treat diseased arteries) within 90 to 120 minutes from a patient’s arrival at the hospital.

When a suspected heart attack patient arrives in the HSHS Good Shepherd emergency oom, an overhead announcement alerts representatives from lab, radiology, cardiopulmonary and ICU, as well as key nursing staff, to respond to the ER. If a heart attack is confirmed the patient is transferred to a hospital with a cardiac catheterization lab within 90 minutes of arrival.