The Emergency Department is for the assessment and urgent treatment of patients who present with medical emergencies, trauma and urgent mental health problems. General practice is preferable for long term chronic conditions and less acute conditions that do not need urgent treatment.
The Emergency Department operates a triage system that is designed to ensure the most urgent cases are seen first. ED can get very busy (particularly at the weekends) and staff do their best to see all patients in a timely manner.
Rotorua ED is a modern acute facility, that includes two resuscitation rooms, 5 monitored cubicles, 6 acute cubicle spaces and 4 dedicated paediatric rooms. There is also a 5 bed clinical decision unit and 5 bed medical assessment and planning unit. There are dedicated procedure rooms for performing ear, nose and throat, ophthalmology, gynaecology, orthopaedic and general procedures. There is also 24 hour access to radiology services, laboratory and blood bank facilities.
Approximately 38,000 patients attend each year through the Rotorua Emergency Department.
Most patients (70%) who attend ED are discharged home after receiving treatment.
Where is the Emergency Department? See the Rotorua Hospital map here.
Staff
The ED staff are a dedicated team of doctors and nurses who specialise in emergency medicine. Increasingly the medical team is specialist led.
Other specialty teams (orthopaedics, surgical, paediatrics and medical) also see patients in ED when they are referred by a GP or Taupō Hospital and when they need to be admitted to a hospital bed.
Members of our Māori health team (Te Aka Matua) are available to offer support; if you require their services please let staff know.
St John Friends of the Emergency Department (FEDs) support the work of our staff by providing comfort and reassurance to patients. They offer a listening ear and practical help with tasks like phone calls. They will ensure you are warm, comfortable and offered refreshments when appropriate.