If you or a family member have an injury or illness that requires immediate attention—don’t delay. Call 911 in the event of an emergency or go to the Emergency Room for evaluation and treatment. CentraState’s Emergency Department is a state-of-the-art Level II emergency facility. Our specially-trained emergency physicians and Magnet-recognized nursing team provide prompt, expert emergency and urgent care for patients of all ages—24 hours a day, seven days a week. CentraState also has the distinction of being a certified Advanced Primary Stroke Center, as well as an accredited Chest Pain Center.
SPECIALIZED EMERGENCY CARE
CentraState is here for all of your emergency needs.
Our ED team includes experienced emergency medicine physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, clinical leaders, registered nurses, ED technicians, patient liaisons, and a nurse manager. In addition, we have a board-certified pediatrician on duty 24/7 to care for patients from newborns to age 18. All clinicians work under the supervision of our board-certified medical staff. Our dedicated professionals are committed to keeping you comfortable and informed.
- Acute Care: Treatment for a life-threatening injury or illness, such as chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, severe burns, pain or head trauma, or sudden loss of vision.
- Intermediate Care: An intermediate care area is for serious conditions like stomach pain and broken bones.
- FirstCare (Urgent Care): Fast-tracked treatment for non-life-threatening problems that could become worse without treatment, such as breathing problems, sprains, allergic reactions, lacerations, or abdominal issues.
- Pediatric Care: Pediatric emergency physicians, who are specially trained to care for children and adolescents, are on site 24/7. Children are fast-tracked to a child-friendly space separate from the adult care areas.
- Behavioral Health: Assessment and treatment for behavioral health emergencies.
CentraState is an Advanced Primary Stroke Center with licensed certification from The Joint Commission and the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. We are among an elite group of hospitals in New Jersey and across the country with a specially trained “Stroke Alert” response team.
The stroke response team includes an emergency physician, a neurologist, an emergency registered nurse, and a stroke coordinator, all of whom have advanced training in caring for stroke patients. The team is available around the clock to assess patients immediately upon their arrival at the Emergency Department and initiate appropriate stroke treatment, which may include the administration of a “clot-busting” medication. When a patient is experiencing stroke symptoms, every second counts in preventing or limiting damage to brain tissue.
CentraState is also available to assist with stroke rehabilitation and recovery following stroke treatment.
CentraState offers urgent care centers in Marlboro, East Windsor, Brick, Toms River, Hazlet, and Red Bank in affiliation with Immediate Medical Care Walk-In. Urgent conditions and services include:
- Allergic reactions
- Bronchitis
- Bruises & minor burns
- Colds & coughs
- Eye & ear infections
- Sports-related injuries
- School & DOT physicals
- Crutches, boots, splints, & braces
- Immunizations
- X-rays
- Blood & urine tests
Open 7 days a week; hours vary based on location. Most health insurances and self-pay accepted.
RESOURCES
PATIENT PORTAL
CentraState’s patient portal offers access to:
- Medical history, emergency records and discharge instructions
- Test and lab results
- Appointment scheduling
- Health information and education
- Medication refill requests
- Secure messaging with physicians
HEALTH PROFILE CARD
The CentraState Health Profile Card can prevent adverse drug reactions and allergic responses. The card, which is filled out by the bearer, should be carried at all times and be easily accessible in the case of a medical emergency.
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT FAQs
Make your trip faster, safer, and easier when you bring:
- A list of your current medications and dosages, including over the counter, prescribed and herbal supplements.
- An advocate. This could be a family member, friend, or caregiver who might help communicate with the hospital staff, make you more comfortable while you wait, watch your belongings, or help you pass the time.
- Names of primary care physician and specialists.
- Insurance information and identification. If you have no health insurance you will be treated. It’s the law.
- List of allergies, including drugs, food, latex, etc.
- List of prior surgeries.
- List of medical conditions.
- Copy of living will.
Please also report all conditions to the medical staff, even those that may be embarrassing.
Please be advised that the Emergency Department physician-based bill is separate from the Medical Center bill. You will also receive a separate bill if you receive any services from other hospital-based physician groups. This group includes but is not limited to Central Jersey Emergency Medical Associates, Central Jersey Newborn Care, Princeton Radiology Associates, Liberty Anesthesia, Hackensack Pathology, and any consulting physicians.
With many insurance companies switching to “managed care” plans, we cannot assure that all hospital-based physicians participate with all plans. CentraState Medical Center may participate with your insurance plan, but hospital-based physician groups may not.
Please contact your insurance company to determine if these physicians are covered by your specific policy.
If you have questions regarding the hospital-based physician’s bills you may contact their billing office at the following numbers:
Emergency Physicians………… 866-898-7142
(Central Jersey Emergency Medical Associates)
Anesthesiologists………………….800-431-5379
(Liberty Anesthesia)
Radiologists…………………………..732-462-3302
(Princeton Radiology Associates)
Pathologists ………………………….800-213-5135
(Hackensack Pathology)
Neurologists………………………….732-866-6484
(CJNA – EEG readings only)
Neonatologists ……………………..908-829-3465
(Central Jersey Newborn Care)
A hospitalist is a physician who specializes in caring for patients during their hospital stay. Most hospitals throughout the United States now have a hospitalist program as a standard of care.
Freehold Hospitalists is a group of full-time, on-site physicians at CentraState with extensive expertise in inpatient care and training in internal medicine and family practice. If your primary care physician is unable to visit you during your stay, a hospitalist will manage your care while you are a patient at CentraState. Our hospitalists work in collaboration with specialized nurse practitioners, and they are available 24/7 to meet your health care needs.
To learn more about our hospitalist program, please call 732-431-0023.
When you arrive at the Emergency Department at CentraState, one of our hospitalists will greet you and begin coordinating your care. During your stay, your hospitalist will visit you each day to assess your progress, order diagnostic tests and treatments, prescribe medication, provide any necessary referrals to specialists, and oversee your discharge when you are ready. In addition, your hospitalist will keep your primary care physician and your family informed about your health throughout your stay.
Because our hospitalists are based on site at the hospital, they are very accessible to patients and their families and can quickly and effectively respond to your needs. Our hospitalists enhance quality of care during your stay by offering:
- A prompt admission process
- Continuous on-site monitoring of your changing health care needs
- Faster interpretation of tests and procedures
- Greater flexibility in making health care decisions that expedite recovery
- A strong, collaborative working relationship with CentraState physicians and staff
- Frequent communication with your physician and your family
- An additional support system for your family
- A potentially shorter length of stay in the hospital
Symptoms of a stroke include:
- Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or trouble understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or loss of coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
If you or someone you know experiences any of these warning signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.
Stroke risk factors include:
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure and elevated blood cholesterol, especially LDL or “bad cholesterol”
- Excess weight and uncontrolled diabetes
- Excessive alcohol use—more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women
- Smoking, which has been shown to double stroke risk
- Atrial fibrillation (or AFib), an irregular and sometimes rapid heartbeat
- Being over age 65 or of African American, American Indian or Native Alaskan descent
The same healthy habits that help protect your heart can also help prevent a stroke:
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and choose foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol
- Maintain a healthy weight—excess belly fat, in particular, greatly increases your risk for cardiovascular disease
- Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days
- Don’t smoke
- Limit alcohol use
- Work with your doctor to properly manage chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes
If you’d like to learn more about how to prevent stroke and manage your health, CentraState’s Star and Barry Tobias Health Awareness Center can help. For more information, please call 732-308-0570.
