Emergency Medicine

In any emergency situation, please remember to call 911.

Emergency Department at Horton Campus 60 Prospect Avenue, Middletown, NY 10940 845-342-7115 Directions

Emergency Department at Arden Hill Campus 4 Harriman Drive, Goshen, NY 10924           845-294-2170 Directions

Orange Regional Medical Center's Emergency Departments are committed to providing our patients with the best emergency medical care and realizes that an emergency visit is usually stressful for patients and their loved ones. Our staff works very hard to make your visit as easy as possible and would like you to take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with what you can expect when you come to the Emergency Department for care. At any time during your visit, please feel free to direct your questions or concerns to any member of our staff. We're here to care for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Emergency Department

Who will care for me?
Why must I sign in before treatment?
Why is it necessary to ask so many questions?
Will there be a long wait?
Who is allowed in the treatment area?
Billing Information

Our emergency team:

Led by Dr. Joanne Magro, Director of Emergency Services and Dr. Eric Silva, Associate Director of Emergency Services, Orange Regional's Emergency Department provides our patients with quality care adminsitered by:  

• Emergency Department Physicians
• Emergency Physician Assistants (PA) / Nurse Practitioners (NP)
• Emergency Department Registered Nurses
• Nursing Assistants
• Patient Liaisons
• Nursing Unit Clerks

Emergency Department Physician

A physician trained and specializing in Emergency Medicine is present 24 hours a day to examine you, order tests and/or medications, diagnose your condition, speak with your personal physician (or recommend a physician if you are not currently under a physician's care), and determine your discharge needs.

Emergency Physician Assistant (PA) / Nurse Practitioner (NP)

This is a PA or NP who is credentialed to administer "Minor Emergency Care" for those who present less acute symptoms. They may examine you, order tests and/or medications, diagnose your condition, speak with your personal physician (or recommend a physician if you are not currently under a physician's care), and determine your discharge needs.

Emergency Department Nurse

All of the nurses are professional Registered Nurses. All RNs working here are required to have advanced cardiac certification, and most have also been certified in Emergency Nursing, Trauma Care and Advanced Pediatric Life Support. They will assess your needs, administer medications and treatment and coordinate your care.

Nursing Assistant

Our nursing assistants, under the supervision of a physician or Registered Nurse, assist in caring for your needs and personal comfort. They also provide transportation to and from other hospital departments during your time here.

Patient Liaison

Our patient liaisons, who are bilingual (Spanish/English), help to keep visitors in the waiting area up-to-date with information about their loved ones and to regulate the flow of visitors in and out of the department. The also assist in direct patient care by conducting EKGs, assisting with lab procedures and providing comfort measures.

Nursing Unit Clerk

Our unit clerk helps to process the clinical orders your physician requests, maintains your patient record and coordinates communication within the Emergency Department and among other departments in the hospital.

Why must I sign in before treatment?

Your permission is needed prior to treatment. In the case of immediate, life-threatening situations where the patient or other responsible party is physically unable to give consent, care is given as needed.

We also need certain information to create your chart through our computer system, such as your date of birth and next of kin. This allows us to correctly identify you and, if possible, retrieve any of your previous records from our medical records department. This may assist us greatly in caring for you.

Why is it necessary to ask so many questions?

An accurate medical history is vital to assist us in understanding what may have happened or contributed to your present condition. (If you take prescribed medication, please bring a list of these medicines and their dosages along with any other information with you if possible).

Will there be a long wait?

Sometimes, yes. Although delays are never intentional, treatment is given according to the severity of the patients' illness or injuries. Please remember the emergency team may be taking care of a life-threatening emergency and this may delay your visit.

The registered nurse at triage will make an initial evaluation to determine the severity of your illness or injury. After the practitioner (Medical Doctor, Physician's Assistant or Nurse Practitioner) has seen you, more time may be needed to fully evaluate your condition. Laboratory, x-ray or other diagnostic procedures will take additional time for full analysis.

In some cases, it may be necessary to locate your primary care physician or consult with a specialist. This may also lengthen your stay.

Who is allowed in the treatment area?

Orange Regional Medical Center recognizes and understands your family's concerns, and their need to be with you in the Emergency Department. Visitors are encouraged to be with patients during their stay in the Emergency Department. During busy times in the department, visitors may be asked to wait in the waiting room for a short period. This will assist the staff in providing safe care to the patients. An ER team member will keep your loved ones informed about your progress.

Billing Information

You will receive two (2) bills for your emergency care:

• Emergency Department bill
• Emergency Department physician bill

You may also receive bills for radiologist and cardiologist services if an X-ray or EKG was performed.

For questions regarding the Emergency Department physician bill, please call Hudson Valley Emergency Physicians at 1-800-571-7440.

Have we met your expectations?

If you have questions or concerns about your visit to the Emergency Department at the Arden Hill Campus, feel free to contact the Emergency Department Nursing Director, Colleen Minnock at 845-294-2170.

If you have questions or concerns about your visit to the Emergency Department at the Horton Campus, feel free to contact the Emergency Department Nursing Director, Betsy Lynch at 845- 342-7106.

The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program

(Horton Campus Only):

Now, for victims of rape or sexual assault in Orange County, there is help. The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (S.A.N.E.) program is a collaborative project between the Mental Health Association in Orange County, Orange Regional Medical Center, and the District Attorney of Orange County.

This means that any rape or sexual assault victim who comes to the Horton campus Emergency Department at any time - day or night - will be cared for immediately by a specially trained nurse examiner.

The S.A.N.E. Team consists of compassionate professionals who have undergone specific instruction in how to treat and care for sexual assault survivors, special training in how to collect and preserve physical evidence and in providing expert testimony when the case goes to court.

Ultimately, the purpose of S.A.N.E. is to ensure that rape victims will be treated properly and appropriately. And then, importantly for the whole of the community, to insure that sexual assault offenders are tried and convicted.

If you have questions, or would like to receive the informative brochure, "What To Do When Someone You Love Is Raped Or Sexually Assaulted", please call the Rape Crisis Hotline of the Mental Health Association in Orange County, Inc. at 845-294-9355 or 1-800-832-1200.

Common Questions:

What is a forensic exam?

After sexual assault and upon arrival at the Horton Campus Emergency Department, the survivor is seen by Emergency Department staff and assessed for emergency medical services. The rape crisis advocate and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (S.A.N.E.) are then called. Upon their arrival, the survivor is escorted to a comfortable, private room that has been designated for the S.A.N.E. program.

The rape crisis advocate will be available to the victim throughout the comprehensive collection of forensic evidence.

A Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner who is trained in forensic evidence collection will complete the exam. Injuries will be documented using state-of-the-art equipment including colposcopic photography and Woods lamp. S.A.N.E. professionals are also available to offer expert witness testimony at trial.

Who pays for the exam?

If a survivor has no insurance, a rape crisis center advocate will supply her or him with an application to the Crime Victims' Compensation Board. Orange Regional Medical Center also offers assistance for survivors who cannot otherwise pay. The S.A.N.E. program is partially funded through a grant provided by the New York State Criminal Justice Services, with additional funding from the Orange County Government, Orange Regional Medical Center and the United Way of Orange.

Does a survivor have to report the assault to police?

No. The advocate and nurse examiner will support any choice the survivor makes. Survivors who are uncertain can proceed with the sexual assault nurse exam and the evidence can be held in a locked refrigerator for up to thirty days, allowing additional time for the survivor to make the decision that is right for her or him.

This project was supported by a grant administered by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services. Points of view in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the Division of Criminal Justice Services.

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