Lourdes Emergency Department Offers Faster Service

Lourdes announces the opening of a Rapid Medical Evaluation (RME). The new service includes the addition of four treatment spaces with chairs instead of traditional beds.  Rapid Medical Evaluation assures patients that a medical provider will assess their condition immediately upon their arrival inside the Emergency Department. 

The RME also includes the addition of two patient self check-in kiosks.  Lourdes’ kiosk uses a self-service touch screen unit that saves time for patients and is easy to use. The patient enters his or her name, age, and chief medical complaint for the visit. That information then appears on a computer screen alerting the triage nurse of the patient’s arrival.  The triage nurse will assess the patient’s condition, and individuals who meet the criteria for RME will be seen by a medical provider within minutes of their arrival inside the ED.

“Lourdes is setting the course for healthcare in western Kentucky with the opening of the RME and the addition of the kiosks,” says Jeremy Klope, M.D., Lourdes’ Medical Director of the Emergency Department.  “Now people who have an illness that requires immediate attention can be assured they will be seen as soon as they input the information in our kiosk. Both the RME and the kiosks help provide high quality care to our patients.”

Lourdes RME and kiosks are currently operational and accessible to the public.   Lourdes associates and volunteers are available to demonstrate the use of the kiosk to first-time users requesting assistance. “Patients are excited about the Rapid Medical Evaluation service, and our staff already sees and appreciates how the kiosk can streamline the patient check-in process,” states Donna Croft, Lourdes Emergency Department Director. “Not only does the kiosk save time for our patients, it is a highly efficient system that protects their confidential patient information.”

Lourdes will hold a blessing for the Rapid Medical Evaluation area on Friday, December 16 at 9:30 am.  For more information about the Lourdes’ Emergency Department, please visit www.eLourdes.com/emergency.asp