Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest

LVH-Cedar Crest ER offers:

• Comprehensive trauma, burn and neurology emergency services, 24/7
• MI Alert for Heart Attacks and Stroke Alert programs designed to deliver fast, gold-standard care for the best outcomes possible.
• The Walter J. and June H. Okunski Burn Recovery Center is Pennsylvania’s largest burn center and is verified to treat adults and children
• A quick care area for patients with less severe injuries, like fractures or cuts

Watch this video to learn about the triage process in the emergency room (also available with Spanish subtitles).

Emergency medicine for heart attack

If you are experiencing heart attack symptoms, including chest pain, shortness of breath or pain in your arms, neck, jaw or back – call 911.

Lehigh Valley Heart and Vascular Institute consistently ranks among the nation’s leaders in heart attack survival. Our MI Alert for Heart Attacks program saves lives and limits the amount of heart damage by educating area paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to diagnose heart attacks in the field.

If you’re suffering from a heart attack, paramedics will immediately begin treatment and call ahead to alert our emergency medicine providers of your arrival.

Emergency care for stroke

Every second counts when it comes to stroke. Fast, aggressive care minimizes brain damage by ensuring adequate blood flow to the brain. That’s why you should always remember BE FAST. This acronym will help you remember the signs of a stroke and that you should act quickly.

• Balance – Sudden loss of balance
• Eyes – Blurred vision in one or both eyes
• Face – Face drooping or looks uneven
• Arms – One arm becomes weak or numb
• Speech – Slurred speech or seems confused
• Time – If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms, call 911 immediately.

LVH–Cedar Crest is a Certified Comprehensive Stroke Center that provides rapid diagnosis of the type of stroke, targeted therapies – such as clot busting medication (intravenous thrombolytic) or interventional clot retrieval. We have been recognized by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.

Children’s ER

Should your child need emergency care, Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest is home to the region’s only Children’s ER. Our board-certified pediatric emergency physicians, along with board-certified emergency physicians, are prepared to care for your child in a caring and child-friendly environment.

Highly trained staff provide emergency care for kids

The Breidegam Family Children’s ER is run by board-certified pediatric emergency physicians. They are supported by:

• Advanced practice clinicians who are experienced in caring for kids
• A nursing team specially trained in pediatric emergency nursing
• Pediatric pharmacists for accurate medication dosing
• Child-life specialists who make the hospital experience less stressful for children
• Pediatric respiratory therapists to treat airway problems

Children’s ER focused on comfort

A visit to the emergency room can be stressful for children. That’s why we designed the Breidegam Family Children’s ER to help ease anxiety with:

• A dedicated entrance and waiting room so anxious kids won’t have to see sick or injured adults
• Fast-track area so kids get the care they need quickly
• Behavioral health rooms designed to keep kids safe
• Child-friendly designs for kids of all ages – newborn to teens
• Sensory friendly spaces
• Spacious waiting room with a play area and café
• Pain management options like “laughing gas” (nitrous oxide), which has a calming effect

When your child does not require a hospital stay, but may need additional care, Breidegam Family Children’s ER houses a 12-bed observation unit built just for kids.

Trauma or burn care

The Mattioli Trauma Center at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest is a Level II Pediatric Trauma Center. It offers the highest level of trauma care for children in the region.

Care is delivered by an experienced, collaborative team that includes:

• Trauma surgeons
• Pediatric intensivists and hospitalists
• Pediatric surgeons
• Specially trained trauma nurses

Our Regional Burn Center has received pediatric verification by the American Burn Association. Our dedicated burn team responds immediately to improve outcomes and decrease a child’s burn-related pain. For children who suffer a burn injury that doesn’t require hospitalization, they may receive care at the Walter J. and June H. Okunski Burn Recovery Center.

Rapid transportation to the Children’s ER

When your child has an injury or illness that requires emergency care, they may be transported to the Breidegam Family Children’s ER by ambulance or helicopter. Our MedEvac transportation team is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by paramedics and registered nurses with education and experience in providing pediatric critical care.

The health and safety of your child is of the utmost importance. That’s why we’ve designed a sophisticated MedEvac transport service where team members can administer medication and perform procedures that typical emergency medical service crews cannot.