Memorial Hermann Emergency Center at Memorial City Medical Center
- Open 24 Hours
General Information
In an emergency, it’s important to make sure you’re receiving expert care from a trusted provider. Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center has been taking care of west Houston families since 1971. We’ve established a reputation for high quality, emergency care, with access to all the resources of a full service, award-winning Medical Center within the community.
Our Emergency Center is prepared to care for all emergencies in adults or children, any time of day or night including chest pain, heart attack, stroke, respiratory issues, abdominal pain, broken bones and any other critical illnesses or injury. Staffed by affiliated board certified emergency medicine physicians and specially trained emergency care nurses, the Emergency Center is backed by the vast clinical resources of more than 1,400 medical staff physicians representing 100+ specialties affiliated with Memorial Hermann Memorial City.
Memorial Hermann Memorial City’s Emergency Center also includes a dedicated Children’s Emergency Center adjacent to the main Emergency Center off of Gessner, as well as an OB Emergency Center on the 3rd floor of the Memorial Hermann Tower
Let us be your choice for emergency care. We are grateful for the opportunity to care for you and your family as part of our family. We’ve got you covered.
Adult Emergency Center Children's Emergency Center OB Emergency Center When You Arrive
Emergency Center
At Memorial Hermann Memorial City, we treat all emergencies from minor to life-threatening. All diagnostics, including lab and state-of-the-art imaging, are readily available for any circumstance. And access to our extensive medical staff allows us to draw upon the expertise of a wide variety of affiliated specialists, if needed.
Some of the conditions we frequently treat are:
- Chest pain and high blood pressure
- Sore throat and strep throat
- Urinary tract infections
- Women’s health issues
- Abscesses and infections
- Hip pain, back pain and broken bones
- Abdominal pain including gall bladder attacks and appendicitis
- Kidney stones
Level IV Trauma Center
Trauma is a leading cause of preventable death and providing the community with access to high quality trauma care at a trauma center, in a timely manner, could be critical in saving a life. As a Level IV Trauma Center designated by the Texas Department of State Health Services, Memorial Hermann Memorial City consistently demonstrates its ability to provide advanced trauma life support, evaluation, stabilization and diagnostic services. A team of trauma physicians and nurses are available to assess patients upon arrival. Patients that require more comprehensive care are managed and stabilized before being transferred to a Level I or Level II Trauma Center.
Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center is part of Memorial Hermann Health System’s integrated trauma network, the only such system in Greater Houston. The integrated trauma network, which includes Memorial Hermann Life Flight®, provides life-saving care for trauma victims before, during and after their injuries.
Comprehensive Stroke Center
This certification recognizes a hospital’s ability to have state-of-the-art infrastructure, the most advanced services, specialists in stroke and cerebrovascular disease, and training to receive and treat patients with the most complex strokes. Memorial Hermann Memorial City provides timely care for patients and is dedicated to the best outcomes in the west Houston community.
Chest Pain Certification
You know that a difference of minutes can dictate a chest pain patient’s outcome. Knowing where to go for the gold standard of emergency cardiac care saves lives. Speed, teamwork and skill can make all the difference in an Emergency Center setting.
Memorial City is proud to have earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Chest Pain Certification by demonstrating continuous compliance with performance standards. Earning Chest Pain Certification is a stringent voluntary process. Credited Chest Pain facilities undergo a rigorous evaluation to appraise their ability to assess, diagnose and treat patients quickly and effectively. Multidisciplinary care pathways, quality assurance processes and cardiac programs must be firmly in place and continually monitored before Chest Pain Center accreditation can be granted.
Intensivists
Memorial Hermann employs affiliated Intensivists, critical care physicians with specialized training and experience in treating critically ill patients, to be in house 24-7. Having Intensivists ensures that, should you be admitted, you’ll have someone to manage your care and bring in appropriate specialists as needed. Intensivists are trained to deal with complex issues that may not be isolated to a single area of the body. Because they don’t have a medical practice and are used to seeing patients only in the hospital, they can intervene quickly, helping to avert any complications that may arise.
Memorial Hermann Memorial City also has numerous specialty programs that are called upon depending on the emergency situation including Women’s Memorial Hermann, the Memorial Hermann | Rockets Sports Medicine Institute, Center for Advanced Orthopedics, Neuroscience Program, Cancer Center and more.
Children’s Emergency Center
The Children’s Emergency Center at Memorial Hermann Memorial City is staffed with pediatric trained nurses and affiliated UTHealth pediatric physicians who specialize in pediatric emergency medicine. The staff understands that children react differently to stress, injury or certain medications and they are prepared to care for even the youngest babies. The staff works with the child to reduce their stress and help them understand what’s happening with their care.
Some of the conditions we frequently treat are:
- Ear infections
- Sore throat and strep throat
- Asthma, difficulty breathing or respiratory infection
- High fever
- Constipation, stomach pain and vomiting
- Broken bones
- Cuts that may require stitches
While the Children’s Emergency Center shares the same entrance as the adult Emergency Center, it has a dedicated space, waiting area and staff. Like the adult Emergency Center, we treat all emergencies from minor to life-threatening. All diagnostics, including lab and state-of-the-art imaging, are readily available for any circumstance. And access to our extensive affiliated pediatric medical staff allows us to draw upon the expertise of a wide variety of affiliated specialists, if needed.
Our pediatric specialty medical staff consists of:
- Allergy/Immunology
- Anesthesia
- Cardiology
- Ear, Nose & Throat
- Endocrinology
- Gastroenterology
- Infectious Diseases
- Nephrology
- Neurology
- Ophthalmology
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Otolaryngology
- Plastic surgery (craniofacial)
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Radiology
- Sleep Medicine
- Sports Medicine
- Urology
Should your child need further care, he or she can receive pediatric services close to home at Children’s Memorial Hermann Memorial City located on the 4th floor of the Memorial Hermann Tower. Children’s Memorial Hermann offers you and your children access to your favorite nearby pediatricians, as well as the expertise of pediatric subspecialists from the McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. Our intermediate level of pediatric care includes a 24-7 pediatric hospitalist and dedicated pediatric support services ranging from speech and occupational therapy to respiratory therapy and more
And, should a higher level of care be required, the Children’s Transport Team is available around the clock to provide pediatric transport to Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center. When time is of the essence, critically ill or injured patients can be transported via Memorial Hermann Life Flight.
OB Emergency Center
You want the best care for you and your baby. Women’s Memorial Hermann at Memorial City does too. The OB Emergency Center at Women’s Memorial Hermann provides that added reassurance for moms-to-be in the event of an emergency. We employ affiliated OB/GYN hospitalists in the OB Emergency Center to support and back up our affiliated OB/GYN medical staff.
No one knows more about you and your baby than your own doctor. You should always check first with him or her before seeking care at the hospital. In the event your physician needs assistance or backup, one of the affiliated OB/GYN hospitalists can examine you, evaluate the progress of your labor, monitor the baby’s heart rate and review test results. These hospitalists are board-certified OB/GYNs, trained in routine and emergent obstetrical care. They are available to care for moms-to-be onsite at our hospital 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
The Women’s Memorial Hermann OB Emergency Center is available for women who are 20 weeks or more in their pregnancy. It is located in the 33-story Memorial Hermann Tower on the 3rd floor. If you are 19 weeks or below, proceed to your nearest Emergency Center, not limited to the main Memorial Hermann Memorial City Emergency Center, unless indicated by your physician.
- Patients should contact their private OB/GYN physician before arriving at the hospital
- The OB/GYN hospitalists at Women’s Memorial Hermann are all board-certified OB/GYNs with specialized training to provide routine and emergent obstetrical care
- Because their practices are hospital based, hospitalists only see patients seeking care in the hospital
- The affiliated OB/GYN hospitalist will communicate all results and coordinate care with your regular OB/GYN. If necessary the hospitalist can expedite care accordingly
- All hospital emergency room co-pays associated with your insurance will be applicable
When You Arrive at the Emergency Center
If you are coming in by car, check in at the main counter. You will be asked to complete a quick registration so we can enter the information into our electronic medical record database. Proper identification is very important as it ensures that we access the correct medical record during treatment. Additional information will be requested after you are seen by the emergency provider, because we want to treat your emergency as quickly as possible
Triage/Quick Look
You’ll be taken back for triage also known as quick look. A nurse will do an initial assessment of your emergency condition so we can assess the severity of the concern and determine the appropriate care. The triage/quick look nurse makes sure the patients with the most serious injury or illness are seen for full emergency evaluation first. We do not see patients according to their time of arrival, but according to the seriousness of their condition. All patients are important to us, but priority must be given to the most serious conditions. We will make every effort to have patients seen by an emergency provider as soon as possible.
Rapid Medical Evaluation (RME)
The RME area is for minor care such as ankle sprains or coughs and colds. The triage nurse may send you to this area if your condition is less serious and something that can be treated quickly. This area is staffed by an affiliated mid-level provider (nurse practitioner or physician assistant) and an emergency nurse. These providers are supervised by emergency medicine physicians and are qualified to care for less serious conditions. Patients in the RME area may be seen in a different order because only minor illnesses or injuries are treated in this area.
Emergency Evaluation
When you are called back, you’ll receive a thorough emergency evaluation. You’ll be taken to one of our private evaluation rooms where an emergency nurse and an affiliated emergency provider will assess your medical condition. Tests may be ordered, depending on the medical evaluation. The test result processing times may vary depending on the Emergency Center’s volume and patient acuity levels. We will make every effort to check on you regularly and keep you updated on the progress.
Please let us know if you need assistance any time during your visit. We want you to be as comfortable as possible and we appreciate the opportunity to care for you.
Where You Go Makes a Difference
Accredited by The Joint Commission, Memorial Hermann Memorial City’s commitment to excellence is recognized not only by our patients but by national third-party organizations that monitor our nation’s 5,000 acute care hospitals. Take a look at our awards and accolades.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Parking Information
East Tower (921 Gessner)
This is the main entrance to the Medical Center off of Gessner and home to the Heart & Vascular Institute. It is also the entrance for the Emergency Center and Children’s Emergency Center.
Park in designated Emergency Center parking is provided free of charge to patients and their families in the gated area on the first floor of Garage 3. Present the ticket to the Emergency Center registration team upon arrival for an exit token. Non-Emergency Center visitors will pay $20 to exit this area.
Other Parking Options:
- Garage 3 in the un-gated areas on levels B, C and D
- Garage 4
- Surface lots accessible by Gessner
- Valet parking available
The OB Emergency Center is available for women who are 20 weeks or more in their pregnancy. It is located in the 33-story Memorial Hermann Tower, adjacent to The Westin, on the 3rd floor. If you are 19 weeks or below, proceed to your nearest Emergency Center unless indicated by your physician.
Park in Garage 5 in the un-gated areas on levels B, C, D and E.
A covered skywalk on level B of the Garage provides convenient access to the Memorial Hermann Tower. Once inside, proceed down the escalator. Hospital services are accessed by the elevator bank directly ahead (floors 2-12). The OB Emergency Center is on the 3rd floor.