At the May 14 Zachary Rotary Club luncheon, Billy Conerly, emergency room department director at Lane Regional Medical Center, spoke to Rotarians on “When Seconds Matter: What Happens Inside Your Local Emergency Room.”
He provided an inside look at how patients are triaged using the Emergency Severity Index and how emergency rooms manage patient surges.
Lane Regional’s Emergency Room operates with 21 beds, making efficiency and prioritization critical to patient care, he said, adding that the busiest times in the ER are between 10 p.m. and midnight.
Conerly also shared some common myths vs. realities about ER care:
What you see on TV is true: No
Patients are seen in order of arrival: Patients are prioritized based on medical urgency
An empty waiting room means the ER isn’t busy: Staff may be treating critical patients behind closed doors
Ambulance patients are always treated first: All patients are evaluated and triaged the same way; when the ER is full, ambulance patients may also wait
Patients with insurance receive VIP treatment: All patients are treated equally with quality, dignity and respect.
He emphasized why speed matters, especially in stroke care. Medical professionals often say, “Time is Brain,” because fast treatment can significantly reduce disability. Early intervention, including clot-busting medications and mechanical clot removal, can restore blood flow and save lives.
Attendees were told how to recognize stroke symptoms, including: