Emergency Care

At UnityPoint Health - Des Moines, we are dedicated to providing care for you and your family when you need it most. That is why we offer emergency care at our four hospitals located in Des Moines and West Des Moines. Additionally, our hospital emergency departments are verified by the American College of Surgeons as Trauma Centers which means we have have the specialists, experience and equipment to save lives in emergency situations.

About our Emergency Departments

We have four emergency departments that are open 24/7 to care for patients when they are injured or sick. When you arrive at one of our emergency departments, you will be assessed by our staff to determine the severity of your illness or injury. Patients are then taken to a room in the emergency department to be seen by a provider based on their triage assessment. Please know, it is our goal to see patients as quickly as possible. For general medical questions, such as whether or not to go to the Emergency Department, please call the 24/7 My UnityPoint Nurse hotline at 800-424-3258.

Urgent/Walk-In Care

In addition to our emergency departments, we offer several Urgent/Walk-In Clinics across the area to help care for patients with non-emergent needs. Learn more about our Urgent/Walk-In Care.

William C. Knapp Emergency Department and Trauma Center Iowa Methodist Medical Center 

The adult emergency department at Iowa Methodist Medical Center is available for all types of trauma and medical emergencies. All staff are specially trained in cardiac, chest pain, stroke and trauma care.

Open to the public in  June 2016, as a leading tertiary hospital in the state of Iowa, this expansion and renovation allow for better emergency care, trauma and critical care response as well as service to our communities around Iowa. 

Features:

• 26 adult treatment rooms
• 12 pediatric treatment rooms
• 12 Pediatric Intensive Care Unit rooms (opening 2017)
• 2 designated trauma rooms to treat up to 4 patients at a time 
• 1 Resuscitation Room 
• Central Iowa's only Level 1 Trauma Center
• Stroke Center of Excellence 
• 10 Rapid Assessment patient areas (new)
• Specialized Sexual Assault room (new)
• In-house Transfer center to streamline incoming transfers to our hospitals (new)
• Pharmacy located in the Emergency Department (new)
• CT Scanner located within the Emergency Department (new) 
• Enhanced Security for patients, families and staff

Iowa Methodist Medical Center - Level I Trauma Center

Iowa Methodist Medical Center has been a nationally-recognized trauma center from the American College of Surgeons since 1981. Currently Iowa Methodist Medical Center is verified as Level I Adult Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons.

Iowa Lutheran Hospital Emergency Department 

The emergency department at Iowa Lutheran Hospital serves patients of all ages for trauma, medical, surgical and psychiatric evaluations. Iowa Lutheran Hospital is designated as a Level IV Trauma Center.

Features include:

• Increased privacy - all single patient rooms
• State-of-the-art digital radiology
• Family waiting suites adjoining the two trauma rooms
• Increased security
• Easier access
• Bedside registration
• Increased mental health capacity - more space and extended hours
• Chest Pain Accredited 

Methodist West Hospital Emergency Department 

The emergency department at Methodist West Hospital serves patients of all ages for trauma, medical and surgical needs. Methodist West Hospital is designated as a Level IV Trauma Center.

Features include:

• Private, individual patient patient rooms
• State-of-the-art digital radiology
• Secured department
• Easy access
• Bedside registration

Blank Children's ER

The emergency medicine team at Blank Children's Hospital specializes in meeting the unique needs of children and families during medical emergencies. We are dedicated to caring for babies, children and teens. Our emergency department is a verified Level II Pediatric Trauma Center, by the American College of Surgeons and is open 24 hours a day to provide emergency care.

Our team recognizes how stressful an illness or injury can be, not only to your child but also to your family. You know your child best, so we will include you as we assess and treat your child. In addition to doctors and nurses, our team includes social workers and child life specialists to help you during your child's emergency. Our goal is to provide the highest level of care during an unplanned and often stressful experience. Our emergency specialists work together with pediatric specialists at Blank Children's Hospital to provide the most comprehensive care possible.

About our Emergency Department

It is our goal to get your child seen as quickly as possible, and connected with the treatment or follow-up they need. While we strive to see your child as quickly as possibly, there are times when other children who are more critically-ill or injured need our attention first.  Please know we are dedicated to providing the best care possible for your child.

Our emergency department consistently scores in the top 90th percentile in our patient satisfaction surveys - as compared to other hospitals across the country. Thank you for putting your trust in us to care for your children in times of need.

UnityPoint Health - Des Moines' state of the art Transfer Center is staffed by trained medical professionals,  available 24-hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week to streamline the process for transferring and admitting patients to Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Iowa Lutheran Hospital, Methodist West Hospital and Blank Children's Hospital.

Why a Transfer Center?

The UnityPoint Health Transfer will get emergent patients into Methodist, Lutheran, Methodist West or Blank Children's with just one phone call.

By calling 800-806-1787 it puts the referring hospital or physician office in contact with an experienced transfer coordinator who will get the patient transferred or admitted to one of our hospitals quickly and efficiently.

The Transfer Center handles the complete transfer process:

• Consultation with the accepting physician specialists
• Arranging for a patient bed
• Communicating with nursing
• Arranging for patient; transport (ground or air) 
• All other transfer needs

The goal is to ensure continuity of care for the patient. And if for some reason there is a delay, the center keeps all parties informed every step of the way.