Overview of the Emergency Department
The Emergency Department at Sheikh Khalifa General Hospital is central to the hospital’s operations. The department has experienced doctors who work around-the-clock to assess and manage a wide variety of patients; from those with life threatening condition to others who are concerned about their health.
The department is staffed with 17 doctors including Medical Practitioners, Specialists and Consultants to cater for the needs of our patients. In addition the department is supported by a large cadre of nurses experienced in the care of emergency patients.
We employ the latest practices in proactively managing patient flow to ensure the patients are seen within acceptable and safe time period.
We also ensure regular training to ensure the knowledge and competencies of our staff are up-to-date and our practices are consistent and evidence-based.
What We Treat
The department treats a variety of emergency cases encompassing trauma, surgical, medical and pediatric emergencies. For example:
- Household or workplace accidental injuries, burns and fractures
- Stabilize and manage life threatening complications of serious injuries suffered as a result trauma from falls or road traffic accidents brought in via ambulance services; including Orthopedic, Neurosurgical and Maxillofacial injuries
- Evaluating potentially serious medical problems such as chest pain, headache, stroke and respiratory and gastrointestinal conditions
- Evaluating, stabilizing and referring urgent surgical problems in particular abdominal conditions.
- Evaluating, treating and referring patients who present to the Emergency Department
Caregivers in the Emergency department regularly treat patients who develop complications of their long-term conditions like:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Gastrointestinal conditions
- Renal insufficiency (poor function of the kidneys)
- Thyroid, and hormone issues
Diagnosis & Treatment in Emergency Department
On arrival ALL patients are evaluated by a triage nurses to ensure there is no delay in obtaining medical consultation. Following this assessment patients with minor conditions are seen in our fast-track clinic that runs for 16 hours a day from morning to very late at night.More serious conditions in which patients are likely to need further laboratory or imaging (including Ultrasound, CT and MRI scanning) are streamed to the treatment area for further evaluation, management of pain and referral to Specialties (as necessary).
Diagnosis in the Emergency Department
The role of the Emergency physician is to evaluate all patients in a timely manner in order to determine if the condition is likely to deteriorate. The tools they use taking a thorough history, examining the patient and ordering appropriate laboratory tests and imaging studies. Tests are ordered in order to diagnose or confirm an emergency condition and a specific diagnosis is not always reached in the Emergency department. Further referral to or follow-up with Specialties is arranged as needed.
Treatment in the Emergency Department
The Emergency Team treats many conditions including repair of simple of complex wounds using a variety of methods. In addition the ED team manages a variety of fractures and is able to splint these. There is often expertise available in minor procedural sedation so patients are better able to tolerate these procedures. In addition to expertise in providing cardiac, trauma and pediatric life support and resuscitation, the team has experience in airway and breathing support. The Emergency Department also manages heart attacks (myocardial infarction) with rapid access to angiography at SKSH where indicated. Other neurological emergencies are diagnosed, stabilized and transferred to units with special expertise.
Some of the available equipment:
- Fully equipped Resuscitation room with
- “Crash” carts with drugs and equipment including intraosseous access.
- Basic and Advanced airway equipment including Video laryngoscopy capability
- Ventilator
- Trauma beds for easy initial X-ray evaluation of trauma
- Portable X-ray capability
- Equipment for emergency procedures
- Trauma mattresses for ease of transfer of trauma patients to the CT scanner
- Ultrasound for point of care ultrasound assessment in trauma and medical emergencies
- 4 high dependency beds with full monitoring and remote surveillance of ECG
- 8 Treatment area beds for the evaluation of Emergency patients needing investigations & management
- Procedure room
- Isolation rooms to minimize the possibility of transmission of infection
- 3 bedded Pediatric area
- Fast Track area with queuing system staffed 16 hours a day to stream minor cases separately
Emergency Department Staff
The Emergency Department’s team at Sheikh Khalifa General Hospital offers compassionate and comprehensive care to their patients. Physicians and Nurses are trained, experienced with a variety of international qualifications and certifications.
The department organizes a variety of in-house seminars and workshops and also encourages staff to attend regional and national events in order to maintain and enhance their knowledge and skills.
Emergency physicians (including Consultants, Specialists and Medical Practitioners)
- Nurses
