In a medical emergency, you want the quality care you need, when you need it, in a comfortable environment. Southwest Healthcare and Temecula Valley Hospital have launched a new program to make going to the ER EasiER. ER Reserve lets you request a time in the Emergency Department at Inland Valley Medical Center, Rancho Springs Medical Center and Temecula Valley Hospital when you need care for a medical condition that needs treatment before you can see your primary physician. This is only for less serious or non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries such as sore throat, earache, cough or cold, or muscle strains and sprains.
ER Reserve should only be used if you decide your care can wait until the time you select. You should not wait if your symptoms or conditions worsen or if you need immediate care since delays may complicate your condition. If you are unsure of your condition or if your condition worsens, then go to the nearest emergency room or call 9-1-1.
The hospitals will do their best to honor the reserved time with the understanding, that in any emergency department, patients are seen in order of the severity of their illness or injury. The patient’s insurance provider will be billed; however, insurance plans vary in how they treat ER Reserve visits. Some plans consider visits through this program as an emergency visit, while others may say that they are urgent care visits and apply copays and deductibles. It is always best to check with the provider in advance to see how it will cover an ER Reserve visit.
Another new feature to the ER is the posting of the ER Wait time on the following websites: www.inlandvalleymedcenter.com , www.ranchospringsmedcenter.com and www.temeculavalleyhospital.com . ER Wait Time is the average wait for a patient to see a registered nurse during the triage process in our Emergency Department over a “rolling” four hour window and updated every 30 minutes. After patients are triaged, they are seen by qualified medical professionals in priority order, according to their medical condition and reason for visit.