Shorter Emergency Room Wait Times at SSM

People with minor injuries, who need to emergency room treatment, can use SSM-St. Louis' new online service to register at one of five SSM emergency rooms prior to arriving at the hospital.

The nearest SSM location to Arnold is the SSM-St. Clare center in Fenton, which specializes in treating strokes or clots that effect blood flow to the brain. A lack of blood to the head can result in brain damage, physical disability or death, says the Centers of Disease Control website.

SSM's InQuicker service allows patients to use their home computers to select a projected time for treatment and remain at their desired without waiting in a busy emergency room, a news release said.

“While this service is not meant to eliminate waiting times, it will give people a more convenient option when needing treatment,”said Sean Hogan, President of SSM Ambulatory Services, in a news release. “I am confident this service will enhance the patients’ experience with our ERs and will give patients a reason to choose us when they need emergency care.”

Here are the instructions to use the new service.

1. Go to www.ssmhealth.com/er
2. Choose the nearest SSM hospital
3. Select a projected time for treatment
4. Fill out a form online
5. Relax at home or the location of your choice until it is time to travel to the hospital

The five SSM emergency departments with this online service are SSM St. Clare Health Center, SSM St. Mary’s Health Center, SSM DePaul Health Center, SSM St. Joseph Health Center and SSM St. Joseph Hospital West, the news release said.

SSM St. Joseph Health Center – Wentzville and SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center do not have the online service, the news release said.