If you have a medical emergency, University Health has you covered.
Our emergency room (ER) experts treat a wide range of injuries and illnesses, from sprains and broken bones to life-threatening conditions. Board-certified doctors and registered nurses with extensive emergency medicine training provide this care.
Emergency room or urgent care?
Emergency rooms (ERs) and urgent care centers serve very different purposes. When you need medical care right away, it helps to know which one is the better choice. This true-false quiz can help you learn the difference between them.
True or false: The main difference between an urgent care center and an ER is size.
False. The biggest difference between an urgent care center and an ER is the type of cases they can handle. When people have a condition that is life-threatening or could cause disability, they should go to the ER. If the problem is not that serious, urgent care may be a better choice.
True or false: Urgent care can be a good option if you have a health concern but can't get in to see your doctor quickly enough.
True. Urgent care centers can deal with minor illnesses like colds, the flu, earaches, sore throats and low-grade fevers. They can also handle non-life-threatening injuries, such as sprains, bruises, minor broken bones or minor eye injuries.
True or false: Both urgent care centers and ERs are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
False. ERs are open 24/7. Urgent care centers may be open 7 days a week, but with more limited hours that vary from location to location. Call ahead if you're unsure of an urgent care center's hours.
True or false: It's cheaper to be treated at an urgent care center than at an ER.
True. You're also likely to be seen and treated more quickly at an urgent care center. That's because urgent care centers see people on a 1st-come, 1st-served basis. ERs, on the other hand, treat patients based on the seriousness of their conditions.
True or false: If you or someone else has chest pain that lasts more than a few minutes, you should drive to an ER.
False. Call 911 instead. Chest pain is the most common symptom of a heart attack, and a heart attack is always an emergency. But don't drive to the ER—the condition could get worse on the way. Call 911 for immediate medical help.
Call 911 if:
- You're unsure that you're facing an emergency.
- The condition threatens life or limb.
- The person could get worse on the way to the hospital, or traffic is an issue.
- Moving the person could cause further injury.
Sources: American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine; American College of Emergency Physicians; American Heart Association; National Institutes of Health
We provide emergency care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at these locations:
University Health Truman Medical Center (UH TMC)
Located in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, this ER is the area's premier trauma center. Our large facility has 48 beds and serves about 62,000 people a year. If you experience trauma or a heart attack, we will give you the expert care you need.
No matter what brings you to our ER, you can expect nonjudgmental and compassionate care. You can also expect to be treated quickly. Our door-to-provider times are below the national standard.
Services this ER provides, include:
- Expert trauma care. As an American College of Surgeons Verified Level 1 Trauma Center, the UH TMC ER can handle even the most severe injuries. Our team includes trauma surgeons and others with trauma training. We are also an academic medical center involved with research that advances the science of trauma care.
- A high level of heart attack care. UH TMC is a STEMI receiving center. A STEMI is a severe type of heart attack. Because we are a STEMI hospital, emergency responders in the community know to bring heart attack patients to our ER. After a rapid evaluation, a cardiologist will take these patients to our state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization lab for heart attack treatment.
- Special care for victims of violence. We offer a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program and a BRIDGE domestic violence advocacy program.
- Social services staff and case managers who can connect you with community resources and help you navigate the healthcare system.
University Health Lakewood Medical Center (UH LMC)
The UH LMC ER serves Independence, Lee's Summit and surrounding communities in eastern Jackson County. The 20-bed ER sees more than 30,000 patients a year and includes an Express ED for your convenience.
The Express ED is typically for less severe emergencies. It offers quick access to providers, lab tests, x-rays and other services, usually within one hour. The Express ED is available Monday through Friday from 11 am to 7 pm.
Insurance copays for emergency services will apply when you use the Express ED.
Prompt and thorough ER care
When you arrive at one of our emergency rooms, a nurse or other healthcare provider will promptly and thoroughly evaluate your medical condition. Then you’ll be treated as soon as possible.
The care will be compassionate, respectful and nonjudgmental. Our goal is to provide the best care for our patients, no matter what brought them to our ER or their ability to pay.
Our care goes beyond the ER
Our ER team works closely with other medical specialists at both UH TMC and UH LMC. So we can easily and quickly consult with these other doctors about your care, if needed.
And should you need to see another doctor for further treatment after your ER visit, we can help get you set up with a referral.