Emergency Departments

USA Health University Hospital offers the region’s only Level I trauma center. We also staff the only pediatric emergency department at USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital. Both hospitals are specially equipped to provide the highest level of care for all types of emergencies.

University Hospital's Emergency Department and Trauma Center

We treat patients throughout the upper Gulf Coast at the USA Health Trauma Center on the campus of University Hospital. Traumas are usually accidental or intentional injuries that lead to life-threatening situations. Persons suffering injuries in automobile accidents, from gunshot wounds or stabbings, or in fires are transported to the Trauma Center where a dedicated staff of emergency medicine physicians, trauma surgeons and other specially trained clinical staff stand ready to treat their injuries.

Patients experiencing major illnesses and emergencies such as broken bones, cuts and concussions are typically treated by our emergency medicine team. Using the most advanced technology, they are trained to take care of cardiac, orthopaedic, stroke and other emergencies.

Construction/Parking Update

As construction continues on the expansion of our trauma center, there are some changes on how you access the USA Health University Hospital emergency department. The drop off for the patient entrance will remain under the portico/ambulance drop off and all patient emergency parking has moved to the main lot. We also now have valet parking at the main hospital lobby Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Construction will be completed in summer 2020.

USA Children's & Women's Hospital Pediatric Emergency Department

Emergency medical services specific to children, under age 19, are provided through the Pediatric Emergency Department at our hospital. This emergency department is specially equipped and staffed to treat the unique needs of children with emergency illnesses and conditions with 11 beds and a six-bed fast-track area.

USA College of Medicine

Our physicians are also educators in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine. Visit the Department of Emergency Medicine to learn about its academic mission and residency program.

Sometimes it's hard to know if you should go to an emergency room, urgent care clinic or wait and schedule an appointment with your regular doctor.

These are just a few examples of reasons to call 911 and have an ambulance take you to one of USA Health's emergency departments:

• Choking
• Breathing difficulties or failure to breathe
• Head injury with loss of consciousness
• Injury to neck or spine, especially if there is loss of feeling or inability to move
• Electric shock or lightning strike
• Severe burn
• Severe chest pain or pressure
• Seizure
• Passing out, fainting
• Pain in the arm or jaw
• Unusual or severe headache, especially if it started suddenly
• Inability to speak, see, walk or move
• Sudden weakness or drooping on one side of the body
• Dizziness or weakness that does not go away
• Inhaled smoke or poisonous fumes
• Sudden confusion
• Heavy bleeding
• Possible broken bone, especially if the bone is protruding through the skin
• Deep wound
• Serious burn
• Coughing or throwing up blood
• Severe pain anywhere on the body
• Severe allergic reaction with trouble breathing, swelling, hives
• High fever with headache and stiff neck
• Nausea or diarrhea that does not subside
• Poisoning
• Drug or alcohol overdose
• Suicidal thoughts