Emergency care
Emergency care is the treatment of unexpected, severe medical injuries or infections. It is typically delivered in an emergency room or an ambulance. Our emergency medicine physicians stabilize your condition as quickly as possible to prepare you for the next step of care or discharge.
Emergency rooms in Sanford, Florida
When accidents or injuries occur, and you or a loved one need immediate care, HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital is here for you.
Our emergency room (ER) is open 24/7 and is prepared to treat patients facing a wide range of conditions, from heart attacks to broken bones. We are proud to offer the emergency medical care you need in a leading-edge facility. Our emergency care doctors and nurses will work together to ensure you receive the attention you need.
If you think you may be experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.
Related specialties
Learn more about our related specialties
Our emergency room features and services
Our emergency care team not only offers a range of fast, effective treatments and services, we also strive to make your visit as comfortable as possible.
Nationally recognized care for heart attacks and strokes
Our hospital's dedication to providing advanced, high quality care has been recognized on a national level. The American College of Cardiology designated us as an Accredited Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention). Additionally, The Joint Commission designated us as a Primary Stroke Center.
Kid-friendly emergency care
An unexpected trip to the emergency department can be an anxiety-inducing experience for anyone, especially children. That's why our kid-friendly emergency room is designed to meet the unique needs of kids while giving their parents peace of mind.
Our emergency specialists and nurses are certified in pediatric advanced life support and are on-site 24/7. We are dedicated to offering fast, effective and specialized care to our youngest patients.
Trauma center
The state of Florida has designated our hospital as a Level II Trauma Center. Trauma is a serious injury or shock to the body. It is caused by a physical force, such as an accident or act of violence.
Our emergency specialists work together with emergency medical technicians to provide life-saving trauma care to patients in Orange, Seminole, Sumter, Lake and Osceola counties.
Freestanding emergency department in Heathrow
We recently opened a freestanding emergency room to provide emergency care to the Heathrow community. HCA Florida Heathrow Emergency has a dedicated cardiopulmonary resuscitation room, 12 private patient rooms and laboratory and imaging services.
Our emergency room wait times
When it comes to emergency care, our goal is to continually work toward enhancing the care you receive, while reducing our wait times. This ensures you get the care you need, when you need it most.
Our wait times are updated every 30 minutes and are available on our website.
To find out the wait times of the HCA Florida emergency room nearest to you, check the top of our website or text "ER" to 32222.
Note: Message and data rates may apply. Emergency room wait times are approximate and provided for informational purposes only.
When to go to the emergency room
We understand it can be hard to know what type of medical care you need, like whether you should go to the emergency room or wait for your doctor's office to open.
Conditions that may require emergency care
We want you to feel secure about your choice for care, which is why we've created a list of symptoms that may indicate you need to visit the emergency room:
- Back pain, when it is unbearable or accompanied by fever, numbness, weakness, confusion, slurred speech, vision loss or loss of control over bladder or bowels
- Broken bones, when the pain is severe or there is a visible deformity
- Chest pain, when it is crushing or squeezing and accompanied by other heart attack symptoms, such as shortness of breath or nausea
- Concussion, when you have lost consciousness, even briefly, or experience amnesia, vomiting, slurred speech or a seizure
- Flu, when symptoms become severe, such as having trouble breathing, vomiting uncontrollably or becoming dehydrated
- Side pain, when it is severe and occurs in the lower right stomach, side or back or is accompanied by fever, nausea, diarrhea or blood in the urine
- Stomach pain, when accompanied by a hard or tender stomach, nausea, shortness of breath, fever or irregular heartbeat
- Trouble breathing, when breathing stops, is noisy or high-pitched and comes with pain in the chest or severe shortness of breath
If you are unsure if your symptoms require an emergency room visit, you can speak to a nurse 24/7 by calling our Consult-A-Nurse® line.
What to expect at the emergency room
When you get to the emergency room, one of our triage nurses will assess your symptoms and vital signs. Next, a registration clerk will collect your insurance card (if available) and other information.
We medically screen, evaluate and stabilize all patients — whether or not they have insurance or are able to pay.
Anyone who has severe, life-threatening illnesses or injuries will be treated first. Everyone else will be treated in the order they arrive.
Before discharge, we encourage you to ask our emergency care teams any questions you have. It is also useful for you to keep all of your paperwork, discharge information and medicines or prescriptions together after you leave the emergency room.
What to bring to the emergency room
When coming to the emergency room, we recommend you bring:
- A list of medicines you currently take
- A list of known allergies
- Copies of results from recent medical tests, if available
- Personal care preferences and restrictions
- A responsible adult or phone number for someone to contact
Looking for another location?
Our Emergency care Locations
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