Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph Emergency Department

Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph Emergency Department in Wichita, Kansas, is backed by cardiovascular, surgical, transplant, neuro, stroke, orthopedic, trauma, and forensic nursing  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
• Admission (when needed) to Ascension Via Christi St. Francis in Wichita for severe trauma, stroke, burn or cardiac emergency
• Board-certified emergency care doctors and ER nurses
• Forensic nursing care, including Sexual Assault Response Team
• Maternal and fetal medicine care for high-risk pregnancies
• On-call specialists
• On-site imaging
• On-site lab
• 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. Joseph 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
• Pregnant and having labor pains
• Severe allergic reactions
• 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. Joseph 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

Care for victims of abuse and sexual assault

We also provide specialized forensic nursing care through our sexual assault nurse examiner/sexual assault response team. This program cares for victims of sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse, and domestic violence. Care may include medical treatment, forensic examinations, advocacy, patient follow-up and assistance with criminal justice services.

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.