Our newly expanded-ultra modern ER is equipped with life-saving technology and staffed by experts in multiple specialties, including dedicated treatment rooms for:

• Cardiac care
• Pediatrics
• Blood tests
• CT, MRI, X-ray and ultrasound imaging
• Trauma care

As a Los Angeles County Emergency Department Approved for Pediatrics (EDAP) and California Children Services (CCS) certified hospital, we are committed to providing excellent pediatric emergency services to our Valley neighbors. Our offerings include:

Comfort Promise Program, a commitment to minimizing pain and easing anxiety for our youngest patients, both pediatric and neonatal, during their treatment.

Child life specialists (certified pediatric health care professionals who help support young patients and their families in navigating stressful health care situations)

The emergency department registration process is designed to obtain all the information needed to identify you, find your previous records, and direct your care. We do our best to make it as simple as possible.

The hospital has contracted with Tarzana Emergency Medical Associates, Inc. to provide physician services in the emergency department. These physicians are independent contractors, not employees of the hospital, who contract separately with healthcare insurers and healthcare plans. As a result, they may not be in the same networks as the hospital. If you have any questions regarding whether these physicians are covered by your insurance, you should contact them directly.

It is not uncommon for several patients to arrive at the same time. When this happens our nurses need to "triage" the patients, deciding who is the sickest and needs the most urgent attention. We wish we could take care of everyone immediately. Patient care and safety, however, is our first priority. When we are crowded, the sickest must be treated first. If you or your loved one is not among the "sickest," please know that we are monitoring everyone's condition, and will get to you as soon as possible.

We treat everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.

Our experienced nurses specialize in emergency care – many have been working in the emergency department for most of their careers. Each day they commit themselves to caring for sick and injured people, specializing in rapid assessment, prompt treatment, and communicating with the physicians, technicians and other staff to make sure each patient receives the care they need. Even though the emergency department is frequently a hectic atmosphere, where every second counts, the nurses continue to perform their most important duties:

• Keeping you safe
• Keeping your doctors informed
• Starting your IV's
• Administering medications
• Smiling and being friendly and supportive

There aren't many who are a fan of having their blood drawn. In the Emergency Department, however, blood work may be vital in order to determine your condition and treatment. Our phlebotomists are specially trained just in drawing blood. They do everything possible to make the process comfortable in an uncomfortable situation.

In the emergency department, an X-ray may be vital to determine your diagnosis and treatment. Scientists and physicians agree that when imaging is necessary for immediate medical intervention, the benefits far outweigh the risks.

The amount of radiation you receive from an X-ray is very low. According to the Radiological Society of North America, exposure from a chest X-ray is equal to the amount of radiation received in 10 days from everyday sources, such as radon gas in our homes, the sun, and cosmic radiation from outer space. Still, if you fear an X-ray could be harmful, discuss your concerns with your doctor. The radiation exposure from CT scans is significantly higher than from a single X-ray. MRI and ultrasound produce no radiation exposure.

If there is any chance that you are pregnant, be sure you tell any doctor or dentist ordering an X-ray. There is a slight risk that the X-rays will harm your developing child. This is because your child's tissues are growing rapidly, making them more sensitive to radiation than tissues of an adult.

So, for your unborn child's safety, X-rays should not be taken of your abdomen and should be taken of other parts of your body only after you have been fitted with a special shield for your abdomen.

At Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center, we understand that even when emergencies are minor, they are still emergencies. This is why we’ve designed the Rapid Medical Evaluation (RME) area specifically to efficiently treat less serious health issues. Our RME is unique because:

• Unlike an urgent care, our RME is staffed with board-certified emergency physicians, specialists and nationally certified nurses
• We have efficient service treating less serious health issues such as the flu, sprains or minor injuries
• You will be seconds away from the main emergency department in the event your condition suddenly worsens and requires a different level of care

• Provide support and comfort to the patient as best you can. This might mean asking for a blanket, or just talking to your family member.
• Trust your judgment. Tell the emergency department staff if you think that something is wrong or not going as well as it should. Be polite, but clear and firm, about any problems.
• Speak up on behalf of your family member. Tell the emergency department staff all they need to know to care for your family member. This includes how to contact your family member's primary care doctor.
• Speak clearly and use a neutral or friendly (not angry) tone of voice. Make sure to listen as well as talk.
• Stay calm. Our emergency department staff knows how hard this can be. The best way you can help is by calmly speaking up for your family member's needs. Ask to speak with the doctor, nurse, social worker, or patient representative if you think your family member is not being treated fairly or with enough respect.
• Do not leave your family member alone. You or someone else should stay with your family member until the emergency department staff decides on a treatment plan. Staff may limit this to just one person, or they may ask you to leave if the ER is very crowded, or if they need to perform a procedure. You can still wait in the waiting room. Ask when and how you should come back in.
• Tell the staff if your family member is confused, or frightened, or has dementia or Alzheimer's disease. If so, it is extra important that you stay in the ER with your family member. Tell the staff if your family member is hard of hearing, or is nearsighted.
• Tell the emergency department staff if your family member speaks a language other than English, and if they would feel more comfortable communicating in that language.
• Write down important information. This includes your questions as well as what the staff says about discharge and medications. It also helps to take notes when the staff gives updates about your family member's health.
• Stay focused. You are in the ER because your family member needs medical care. Stay focused on what he or she needs, not other events going on in the busy ER.