Now at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital, knowing where to go, how long the wait time in the ER is and reserving a spot ahead of time is as simple as point and click. The hospital recently introduced two new ways for patients to find out ER wait times, before they ever leave the house and even schedule their appointment online and wait at home.

Before heading to the ER, residents can now visit www.fountainvalleyhospital.com and check out the average door-to-bed wait time on the homepage of the hospital’s website. Door-to-bed wait time is the average time a patient waits to be escorted to a bed from the time they arrive in the ER. The time is tracked using a statistical tracker system that transfers data to an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed. The feed automatically displays and updates the time online. Wait times reflect a rolling two-hour average and are updated every five minutes. Patients are seen in priority order based on the type and severity of their medical complaint.

“We know that families are busier than ever and that every minute matters when you are ill or have a minor injury,” says Mary Botticella,RN, Chief Nursing Officer at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital. “Our teams have worked hard to ensure that patients receive attention when they most need it and now our community will know just how long the average wait time to a room is before they ever leave the house.”

Peter Anderson, M.D., the hospital’s Medical Director of Emergency Medicine, says the technology is helping patients and the hospital address one of the most common complaints about emergency departments – long wait times. “A trip to the ER is something most people never want to have to face,” says Dr. Anderson. “But for patients with non-life-threatening conditions, knowing before they come to the hospital what they can expect in terms of wait time in the ER can make their hospital visit less stressful.”

Schedule Your ER Appointment Online

While experienced and dedicated efforts from physicians and staff at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital have helped the hospital achieve shorter emergency room wait times, the hospital aims to continue enhancing patient comfort and convenience of care. A new hospital service provided by InQuickER, is another way the hospital is working to meet that goal.

When people are in need of hospital care but aren’t experiencing symptoms severe enough to require immediate attention, InQuickER can help them avoid waiting in the ER. This web-based program allows users to view current ER wait times and schedule a time for a visit. This online ER appointment acts as a placeholder—rather than having to physically wait in the ER, you’re given the opportunity to wait in the comfort of your own home.

“Nobody likes to wait—patients don’t like waiting, and their physicians don’t want them to wait either,” says Shawn Dewers, Chief Operations Officer for FVRH. “We’ve begun using this program to improve upon already excellent wait times and enhance patient satisfaction. We already post our low wait times to the public on our hospital’s website - this just seemed the logical next step”.

How to Access InQuickER

To use InQuickER, people can simply logon to www.fountainvalleyhospital.com and select the “InQuickER” link. This will allow them to view current wait times as well as openings for appointments.

“When scheduling an appointment through InQuickER, we ask that patients fill out information about their medical history and symptoms,” says Rosemary Blanch, Director of the ER

Department at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital. “Not only does this eliminate a portion of the paperwork you’ll have to fill out once you arrive, but it also allows our nurses and physicians to know what to expect before you arrive.”

While InQuickER can be a valuable tool, it’s not intended to take the place of a visit to the ER when immediate emergency care is needed.

“InQuickER can be a great solution in times when you’re unsure if you’ve sprained a wrist or ankle, are feeling ill and can’t get in to see your physician immediately, or have a sick child who would be more comfortable waiting at home than in a busy emergency room,” says Peter Anderson, the hospital’s Medical Director at FVRH. “However, there are certain symptoms that always call for emergency attention. If you’re experiencing trauma, chest pain, or stroke symptoms, call 911 immediately.”

Convenience and a 15-Minute Promise

Users can schedule with InQuickER for a convenience fee of $14.99. If you arrive on time to your scheduled appointment and you are not seen by a healthcare professional within 15 minutes of your projected treatment time, InQuickER will refund your online registration fee.

Both the ED Clock and InQuickER technologies are designed for patients with relatively minor medical conditions. Patients with potentially life-threatening medical emergencies such as heart attack, stroke or traumatic injuries, should call 9-1-1 so they can receive life-saving measures in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Patients with such medical emergencies are seen immediately.

The 21-bed emergency department at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital treats approximately 38,000 patients each year. All patients benefit from advanced technology, quick response, and an experienced team of professionals, including Board-Certified Emergency physicians, who care for patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Fountain Valley Regional Hospital is an accredited Chest Pain Center, a designated cardiac receiving center and a stroke-neurology receiving center for Orange County Emergency Medical Services, as well as a Primary Stroke Center certified by The Joint Commission. For more information about emergency services offered at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital, please visit www.fountainvalleyhospital.com.

About Fountain Valley Regional Hospital:

Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center (FVRH), a 400-bed acute care hospital, is one of the most comprehensive medical facilities in Orange County. The hospital’s core services include the Orange County Institutes for Heart & Vascular Care, Spine, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery and Pediatrics, with advanced neonatal and pediatric intensive care. Each center is specially designed to better serve our patients. Our continuum of care also includes maternity services, transfusion-free medicine and surgery, 24-hour emergency care including the first accredited Chest Pain Center in Orange County, surgical weight loss services, inpatient and outpatient surgery. FVRH is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. To learn more about Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center visit www.fountainvalleyhospital.com.

About InQuickER:

InQuickER is a privately-held, Atlanta based company founded in 2006 that provides patients with an online check-in system for emergency department and urgent care services. InQuickER is available at a growing list of hospitals and urgent care facilities across the United States. For more information about InQuickER, please visit www.inquicker.com.