The Emergency Department of Maastricht UMC+ is for people who need immediate medical care. This is the case:
- when you become unwell or if you are injured and you need to go to the hospital immediately (by ambulance).
- when your general practioner refers you to the Emergency Department. If you did not visit your general practioner first, there is a possibility that the specialist will refer you back to your general practioner.
The Emergency Department can be contacted 7 days per week, 24 hours per day.
Phone Number: 0031-43-387 67 00
At the Emergency Department
When you arrive at the Emergency Department you report yourself at the reception desk and you can take a seat in the waiting room. The nurse will call you as soon as possible for a first conversation, she will check what the medical problem is. There is a chance you will have to wait in the waiting room a little longer. There is the possibility that a doctor in training will examine you.
In a Emergency Department there is always chance that several people will come in at the same time, therefore it is possible that you have to wait a little longer. The examination and the waiting for test results, can lead to longer waiting times. It is also possible that some of the patients will be seen by different doctors. Therefor it is possible that people how came in later, will be helped sooner.
If you experience problems during waiting, like for example heavy pain, you can report yourself at the desk.
Parking
The parking lot near the Emergency Department is for patients only. Parking for patients is free of charge. Other people who will park there will be charged a fee of € 15,-.
The number of parking spaces during the renovation is reduced. If the parking lot is full, we recommend that the patient leaves the car before the entrance door of the ED/GP Medical Post. Drive out of the parking lot with your entry card is possible within 15 minutes. You can then park at the taxi rank near the dialysis department to the left of the hospital's main entrance (distance to the ED/GP Medical Post: 80 meters). Follow the yellow signs with black arrows.
Examination and treatment
After a first general check by a nurse or doctor, you will be told what kind of additional tests or treatment are possibly necessary. This includes for instance:
- Measuring blood pressure, temperature, pulse, etc.
- Making an ECG
- Taking blood
- X-Ray examination (or CT-scan, MRI, etc.)
These examinations and the obtaining of the results take time. Sometimes the doctor will ask advice from a medical specialist, like a neurologist. Please be aware that you have to stay at the Emergency Department for some time. Of course we will do anything to make your stay as short and pleasant as possible.
Then it will depend on your medical problem and test results what kind of treatment will be necessary (medication, stitching a wound, plaster cast). The doctor will discuss this with you. In consultation with other medical specialists they can decide whether or not you will be admitted to the hospital for surgery or further examination or treatment.
When you visit the Emergency Department it is possible that you will receive a vaccination for Tetanus.
Going home or admission?
Luckily most of the patients can go home after a attaining the Emergency Department. In most of the cases you will have to come back for a check-up. The employee at the reception desk of the Emergency Department will usually make the appointment. If this is not possible for some reason, wou will receive a phone number of the specific outpatient clinic you need to be.
The doctor will write a letter for your general practioner, so he/she is informed about you visit to our Emergency Department. This letter will be sent online.
If you need to stay at the hospital, you will be admitted to one of the wards.
Children first
Upon arrival, children will in general get priority, unless a direct emergency will come in.
All children in the Emergency Department will be examined according to a national protocol. This means your child will be examined fully, even if your child only has a broken arm or bowel complaints.
Ambulance
If you are brought in by ambulance, it does not always mean that you can go directly to a treating room. This depends on the urgency of the case. Emergencies always receive priority.
Important: when you are brought in by ambulance and you are sent home, this does not mean that the ambulance will take you home. If there is no medical indication to be transferred by ambulance, you have to take care of your own transportation. Of course we can assist you in calling a taxi.