UnityPoint Health - Meriter - Emergency Services
Information
Number of patients waiting reflects the current number of patients waiting to be seen. This number changes frequently and is not exact.
Masking & Visitor Policy
Masking is required in the UnityPoint Health - Meriter Emergency Department. For the most up to date information of masking and visitor policies, please visit Patient & Visitors.
Hours & Directions
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.
What Type of Appointment Do I Need?
Primary Care encompasses the comprehensive treatment of a number of diseases in symptoms and specialties including pediatrics, internal medicine and family medicine. Rather than specializing in one particular area of medicine, the physician is trained to meet all the needs of patients as one point of contact. Same-day appointments may be available. Call your clinic or log in to MyUnityPoint to schedule with your provider or a member of their care team.
Examples of symptoms and conditions treated by a primary care provider can include:
- Allergies
- Cancer screenings (for select cancers)
- Disease management (asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, etc.)
- Long term care or treatment planning
- Managing existing conditions (migraines, depression, anxiety, arthritis, etc.)
- Medication refill and medicine checks
- Minor medical problems and injuries
- Ongoing symptoms (continued back pain, skin problems, etc.)
- Physicals/sports physicals
- Substance abuse
- Vaccinations
Urgent Care and Express 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 walk-in care without an appointment for all patient ages. Urgent Care is available after hours, weekends and holidays. Our Urgent Care Clinics can provide medical treatment for minor illness and injuries such as:
- Allergies
- Burns
- Colds
- Coughs
- Cuts (Stitches)
- Earaches or Ear Infections
- Fevers
- Minor Medical Problems and Injuries
- Minor Eye Care
- Flu
- Fractures (X-Ray On-Site at Most Locations)
- Infections
- Sore Throats
- Sprains, Including Sprained Ankles (X-Ray On-Site at Most Locations)
- Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
- Yeast Infections
- Certain Rapid Tests
Please note: Flu shots, physicals and/or sports physicals are not offered at every urgent care location.
*If you are experiencing chest pain or shortness of breath, please go to the Emergency Department or call 911 immediately. For less serious medical issues, such as physicals, medication refills or to leave a message for your primary care doctor, you can access your My UnityPoint patient portal 24/7!
Connect with a UnityPoint Health provider online using MyUnityPoint to access virtual urgent care. Virtual care doctors can diagnose, recommend treatment and prescribe medication when necessary for commonly treated conditions. Available every day, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for individuals 2 years and older located in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota.
Virtual care should be used for minor, common ailments and illnesses. Some examples, and the qualifying age to receive virtual urgent care for that condition, include:
| Condition | Virtual Urgent Care |
|---|---|
| Acne | 2+ |
| Burn | 2+ |
| Cold/Flu | 2+ |
| Cold Sores | 13+ |
| Constipation | 2+ |
| Cough/Upper Respiratory Infection | 2+ |
| Diarrhea | 2+ |
| Fever | 2+ |
| Head Lice | 2+ |
| Heartburn | 2+ |
| Headache/Migraine | 18+ |
| Joint Pan | 2+ |
| Rash | 2+ |
| Red Eye | 2+ |
| Sinuses | 2+ |
| Sore Throat | 2+ |
| Urinary Tract Infection | 13+ (female only) |
| Vaginal Infection (yeast/bacterial vaginosis) | 18+ |
| Vomiting | 2+ |
Emergency rooms are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for severe or life-threatening conditions. Conditions that require emergency care include excessive bleeding, broken bones, chest pain or trouble breathing. Emergency services include diagnostic testing and access to specialists.
Examples of symptoms and conditions treated by emergency departments can include:
- Symptoms of a heart attack, including severe chest pain, sweating and shortness of breath.
- Profuse bleeding or blood loss that continues even after direct pressure has been placed on the wound.
- Severe abdominal pain.
- Sudden dizziness, weakness, loss of coordination, balance or vision problems, which are signs of stroke.
- High fever and vomiting that continues nonstop for several hours.
- Signs of meningitis for adults: severe headaches, neck/joint pain and stiffness, vomiting, high temperature, sensitivity to light or babies and small children: high-pitched whimpering/crying, lethargy, fussiness, restlessness, high fever, vomiting, cold extremities, refusing food, pale or blotchy skin.
- Seizures lasting longer than five minutes.
- Injuries occurring from an accident or fall - intense back or neck pain, obvious compound fractures and/or dislocations of bones, deep cuts and severe burns.