UnityPoint Health - Meriter - Emergency Services
Hours & Directions
Hours of Operation
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
Always Open
The Emergency Department (ED), or ER, at UnityPoint Health – Meriter hospital is open 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week, 365 days-a-year to patients of all ages who needs emergency treatment.
We are committed to keeping our patients, visitors, and employees as safe as possible. If you plan on visiting our emergency department, please see the full list of guidelines we require.
Our ED is staffed by physicians who are board certified in Emergency Medicine. Our registered nursing staff maintains certifications in the specialty areas of pediatric emergencies and trauma care.
We pride ourselves on easy access to care and treatment. We offer two separate, easily marked entrances - one for patients arriving on their own, and one for patients arriving via ambulance. Parking is available right next to the main ED entrance for patient convenience.
Our waiting room features a television, wireless access, current reading materials and oxygen hook-ups for pulmonary patients.
When to Call 911
Medical emergencies happen far more often than you may think. In Madison, one of every three persons is treated for a medical emergency each year. Chances are that you, a close friend or family member will need emergency care during the course of an average year. Because seconds can make a difference, it's important to become familiar with the emergency numbers in your area. If you live in Dane County and have a life-threatening emergency or need an ambulance, call 911.
Life-threatening situations require immediate medical intervention. Call 911 whenever the following symptoms are involved:
- Loss of consciousness
- Chest pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Extensive burns
- Weakness to one side of the body or difficulty speaking
- Poisoning
- Severe allergic reactions
- Severe, unaccustomed headache
- Chemical injuries
These are only examples, of course you must use your own judgment to decide if an ambulance is needed.
Urgent Care
Urgent and Walk-In Care treat minor medical problems and injuries that are not life-threatening but need the attention of a health care provider. These are not an alternative to the emergency room but offer the ability to get care without an appointment for all patient ages. Urgent Care is available after hours, weekends and holidays.