News Why Wait in an Emergency Room?

At 3 More Seton Hospitals, a Few Clicks Will Hold Your Place in Line

AUSTIN, Texas - (September 1, 2011) - Next time you need to go to the emergency room, you can take a number and wait in line - or you can wait at home and hold your place online.

Effective Sept. 1, patients with minor emergencies may choose the comforts of home for as long as possible before heading to an ER waiting room to seek medical attention. Three Seton hospitals are offering SetonER.com following its popular and successful introduction earlier this year at Seton Northwest Hospital in Austin.

The three new locations where SetonER.com will be available are Seton Southwest Hospital in Austin's Oak Hill area; Seton Medical Center Hays in Kyle; and Seton Edgar B. Davis Hospital in Luling.

The online service allows you to designate an arrival time at the hospital emergency room. You are guaranteed you will be seen by a health care professional within 15 minutes of your designated arrival time.

If you are in the ER waiting room longer than 15 minutes after the designated arrival time, the nominal $4.99 fee for this service will be refunded.

"SetonER.com is designed for people experiencing non-life threatening medical conditions such as a sprained ankle or twisted knee. This way, they can better manage their own time and deal with related needs, like getting a baby sitter or finishing dinner," said Mary Faria, Seton Southwest vice president and chief operating officer.

Because emergency rooms treat patients in order of severity (a process called "triage"), patients with non-life threatening conditions can wait for an hour or more while those who show up with more severe injuries or ailments get priority. SetonER.com ensures most of that waiting can be done at home.

"You can be as comfortable as possible for as long as possible and still see a doctor as soon as possible," Faria said.

To receive the SetonER.com 15-minute guarantee, you need to provide complete information during online registration and arrive at the emergency room by the designated time. InQuicker, the private company providing this service at Seton, charges $4.99, which is separate from the hospital and other emergency room fees. If the triage process means another patient is seen ahead of you and it takes longer than 15 minutes before you are examined, InQuicker will refund the fee.