By Ashley Rhodebeck
StatelineBusiness

The 35,000 people receiving treatment from the Beloit Memorial Hospital emergency room each year have access to specialty physicians who are on call 24 hours a day - care that some E.R.s nationwide do not guarantee.

According to recent studies by the American College of Emergency Physicians, 57 percent of emergency department directors in the country's North Central region said their E.R.s had a problem with inadequate on-call coverage by medical specialists. The percentage rose to 63 percent in 2005.

Nationwide response was 67 and 73 percent.

Furthermore, the studies reported, the number of specialists nationwide who negotiated for fewer on-call hours more than doubled from 18 percent in 2004 to 42 percent in 2005.

As the physicians shy away from on-call duties, E.R.s have fewer doctors available to treat patients for injuries requiring plastic surgery, neurosurgery and hand surgery, among other specialties.

Apparently, though, that is not the case in Beloit.

Jeannie Yowler, E.R. nursing director, said the hospital has access to "everybody you could possibly need."

The number of staff working varies, Yowler said, but during the E.R.'s busiest times - usually 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. - working staff consists of seven registered nurses, two technicians, two physician assistants, a physician and two registration people to handle the paperwork.

When a patient comes in needing care the in-house staff cannot provide, the hospital calls one of the on-call physicians from Beloit Clinic.

"We're very thankful we have a great physician group," Yowler said, noting the E.R. frequently calls the specialists.

Yowler has worked at the Beloit Memorial Hospital E.R. since 1989 and has served as its nursing director for 14 years. Throughout her career the annual patient count has slowly increased to its current average of 35,000, which equals about 96 people a day.

Beloit Memorial Hospital's E.R. is the sixth busiest E.R. in Wisconsin.

"A lot of people want to be seen now," Yowler said, explaining people will seek treatment from the E.R. when they cannot receive immediate care from their primary physician.

The E.R. also appeals to the uninsured because it must see everyone whereas a physician's office does not, Yowler said.

Before deciding to come to the E.R., Yowler said patients should call their primary doctor for help or take a fever reducer. If an E.R. visit is inevitable, Yowler advised patients to not eat or drink and to bring a list of their medications with them.

Patient flow is expected to improve in a few years after the Beloit E.R. undergoes a renovation set to begin this fall. The facilities, Yowler said, will expand from 15 rooms to 26.

The expansion of the E.R. is to begin in August. It will be the first major expansion and renovation of the department in 10 years. The estimated cost of the expansion and renovation is $11 million.