About This Location
The entrance to the Lake Charles Memorial Emergency Room is located on 2nd Avenue. All patients who are seeking emergency care will need to enter the emergency room through the automatic doors located on the west side of the hospital. The automatic doors are located under the red “Emergency Room” sign. After hospital visiting hours, the doors to Main Entrance, MOB I, MOB II and the parking garage doors are locked – patients and visitors will only be able to enter the hospital through the emergency room.
Our 40-bed, 25,464 square foot ER is equipped to handle high patient volume and includes Level III trauma-related services such as telestroke and heart attack assessment, orthopedic trauma and general trauma surgery, mental health and substance use intervention, sexual assault care, as well as other critical care services for conditions such as respiratory and gastrointestinal distress.
In addition to general medicine treatment areas, our ER has 4 cardiac-designated care rooms, a fast-track treatment area, and 6 trauma bays. Digital diagnostics, including CT scanning, are located in the ER which reduces transport times.
Level III Trauma Center
Memorial is the only Level III Trauma Center in southwest Louisiana. The American College of Surgeons confirmed Lake Charles Memorial Health System’s title of “trauma center” for not only providing necessary trauma care resources, but also the entire spectrum of care services offered to address the needs of all injured patients from the pre-hospital phase through rehabilitation.
Mental Health and Substance Use Intervention
Those who are experiencing a mental health crisis or seeking resources for substance abuse issues can access emergency mental health medical care at Lake Charles Memorial Emergency Room.
Archer Institute is a continuation of our mental health interventional care. This stand-alone mental health hospital was designed with the patients' needs in mind, offering mental and substance abuse care. However, those seeking emergency mental health or substance use intervention should seek help through the Lake Charles Memorial Emergency Room.
The Lake Charles Memorial Emergency Department is also the access point for overdose and substance use treatment as part of the Louisiana Bridge Program. The emergency department is the primary access point for addiction treatment providing rapid, evidence-based treatment for substance use disorder and overdose, navigation for ongoing care, and a culture of harm reduction.
Mental health evaluations are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the emergency department.
Primary Stroke Center
The Memorial Emergency Room is a Primary Stroke Center, earning The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for emergency stroke care. The Memorial Emergency Department provides 24-hour in-house stroke care through a partnership with the Tulane Medicine Center, a Louisiana Emergency Response Network Level III Stroke Program. Using two-way live video, audio and image sharing, patients experiencing stroke symptoms have access to stroke neurologist and neurosurgeon experts throughout the state. Together, this team can evaluate patients in real time and determine the best course of action, providing rapid critical care to patients – without wasting precious time travelling to another emergency room. Click here to learn more about our TeleStroke Program.
Emergency Chest Pain & Heart Attack Intervention
From the minute the emergency department is alerted of a cardiac emergency, our emergency and heart care team begin working together to provide fast heart attack intervention. Five newly enhanced cardiac catheterization labs are available to provide emergency response to open blocked coronary arteries. Along with rapid heart attack care, Lake Charles Memorial has the largest surgery department in southwest Louisiana, with 13 state-of-the-art surgical suites equipped with all the technology needed for trauma surgery.
Orthopedic Trauma Surgery
Memorial’s specialized orthopedic trauma and fracture care team is always available for potentially limb-threatening or life-altering injuries. At Memorial, the multidisciplinary critical care team of orthopedic surgeons, physiatrists, and neurosurgeons, offer care for major injuries that are a common result of car accidents, falls, sporting activities, and industrial accidents.
General Trauma Surgery
As the only trauma center in the region, our emergency care teams offer patients in southwest Louisiana direct access to specialists and technology that ensure the fastest and most extensive care. Trauma surgery may be necessary after the body experiences a catastrophic impact, such as major car accidents, a gunshot wound, a stabbing, a severe fall, or a crush injury.
Sexual Assault Care
If you or someone you know have been sexually assaulted, the emergency department at Lake Charles Memorial provides rapid care and reporting for sexual assault victims. If it has been less than 120 hours since the assault, victims should go to the emergency room and ask for a SANE nurse. Advocates are available 24/7, and all care is free and confidential. To learn more about what to do after a sexual assault, click here.
