Ascension Via Christi St. Francis Emergency Department

Ascension Via Christi St. Francis Emergency Department is a Level I Trauma Center, Comprehensive Stroke Center, and Regional Burn Center in Wichita, Kansas, backed by leading cardiovascular, surgical, transplant, neuro, stroke, orthopedic, and trauma specialists. We provide 24/7 care for life-threatening and severe illness and injury -- including heart attack, stroke, concussion, broken bones, and more. Experienced ER care teams listen to quickly understand your needs to deliver the right care for you and your family. And you are connected to the right follow-up care across Ascension Via Christi sites of care by our specialists before you leave the ER—including leading cancer care, heart care and women's health.

Seconds count in stroke, heart and burn recovery, seek emergency care immediately. You can tell your family, friends and EMS to take you to your nearest Ascension Via Christi emergency room. 

Emergency care services include:

• 24/7 emergency care
• Accredited geriatric care 
• Board-certified emergency care doctors and ER nurses
• Connected to inpatient care at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis
• On-call specialists
• On-site full-service imaging
• On-site lab
• Comprehensive Stroke Center
• Pediatric-friendly amenities
• Private treatment rooms

If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, go directly to the ER or dial 911. Signs or symptoms of an acute emergency may include shortness of breath, chest pain, open fracture, fainting, severe bleeding, head injury or other major trauma, one-sided weakness or numbness, loss of consciousness or fainting, severe abdominal pain, or bites or stings.

Care right away -- 24/7 emergency care 

Doctors, nurses and care teams in our ER at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis deliver advanced care for life-threatening symptoms and conditions. Call 911 or go directly to an emergency room if you or a family member are experiencing:

• Abdominal pain (moderate to severe)
• Back pain (severe)
• Chest pain
• Coughing up or vomiting blood
• Major trauma
• Pregnant and having labor pains
• Severe allergic reactions
• Severe burns 
• Severe skin infections or complicated abscesses
• Shortness of breath
• Sudden neurologic changes like weakness, difficulty speaking, numbness, difficulty walking, or loss of consciousness

Connected to 24/7 emergency care for children

At Ascension Via Christi St. Francis Emergency Department and at every Ascension Via Christi hospital, doctors and care teams provide pediatric emergency care for children 24/7. We are a pediatric-friendly ER, with a number of amenities to help provide a more “ouchless” experience for children:

• Comfort holds so exams and procedures can be done without restraints 
• Needle-free syringe device that numbs the skin for needle-stick procedures
• One Voice method: One parent or care team member explains each step to the child, so they are less confused or overwhelmed by the experience

Call 911 or go directly to an emergency room if your child is experiencing severe illness or injury, including:

• Animal bites
• Blue face and lips or pale coloring
• Chest pain
• High fever
• Major injury or broken bone
• Seizure
• Severe allergic reaction
• Severe vomiting or diarrhea
• Trouble breathing
• Other serious illness or injury

Your family is also connected to Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph, where we provide moms and babies with emergency maternal and fetal medicine care for high-risk pregnancies.

Advanced 24/7 trauma care

The ER at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis is a Level I trauma center, delivering advanced care for severe and life-threatening and traumatic injury with state-of-the-art equipment and advanced surgical care. Highly trained trauma surgeons and multidisciplinary care teams work together to provide comprehensive emergency medical care for trauma such as complex fractures, spine injury, and brain injury. Our trauma center also collaborates with air-ground transport teams to provide 24-hour critical care for trauma injuries. Each trauma center is verified by the American College of Surgeons and/or designated by the state to ensure they are equipped for, and capable of, caring for patients with serious injuries. 

Advanced emergency care for stroke

Ascension Via Christi Emergency Department is certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission, a national healthcare accreditation organization. Comprehensive Stroke Centers deliver advanced imaging and treatment for complex stroke, including ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Your stroke care includes:

• 24/7 monitoring 
• Advanced imaging, such as CT angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 
• Doctors specializing in neurosurgery, neurovascular and endovascular procedures
• Neuroscience intensive care unit (ICU)
• Rehabilitation services

Advanced burn care 

Specialists at Ascension Via Christi Regional Burn Center provide advanced critical care, comprehensive burn treatment and connection to reconstructive surgery. We are verified by the American College of Surgeons and the American Burn Association. We are also the only dedicated burn care facility for adult and pediatric patients within 180 miles of Wichita. 

Emergency care for adults and children includes care for burns caused by fire, frostbite, inhalation injury, electricity, spider and snake bites. We also provide care for necrotizing fasciitis and other soft tissue infections, pressure injuries, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and deglovings. 

Specialized care for older adults

The Ascension Via Christi Emergency Department has a Level III geriatric accreditation by the American College of Emergency Physicians' Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation program (GEDA). Ascension Via Christi's geriatric ERs have multidisciplinary care teams with specialized training and education in emergency and geriatric care. We work together to help prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections (UTIs) and other conditions common among seniors. Additionally, we provide geriatric mobility aids for dedicated use in the ER.

Connected to specialized follow-up care

Your care doesn’t stop when you leave the ER. We help connect you to leading specialists and follow-up care to support your care plan and recovery. Your care team also helps you manage your medications and sends prescriptions to your local pharmacy or through Ascension Rx. And you will always have access to our other services, like imaging and lab.