Beebe Medical Center, in Lewes, is located on Savannah Road near Route 1 in Lewes. For general information, call 302-645-3300. For emergency treatment, call 302-645-3289. Always call 911 in cases of emergency.

An emergency situation, by definition, is unexpected. Each of the 80 to 100 patients occupying the Emergency Department’s 19 beds during a typical day didn’t plan his or her need for medical attention. Many have been involved in a recreational, workplace, or highway accident. Some experience potentially life-threatening symptoms. Others have conditions that demand attention before their regular physicians can give them an appointment. A number of patients simply have nowhere else to turn for medical care.

Determining who sees a doctor first is the job of the triage nurse. “Triage is a sorting out according to the seriousness of your illness or injury,” says Fran Needham, R.N., Emergency Services director, adding that triage procedures also apply to patients arriving by ambulance.

The Emergency Department staff is involved in an ongoing campaign to reduce waiting time. The emergency room is a
big priority, especially since, for many people, it’s their first experience with Beebe.

While waiting cannot be eliminated entirely, the ED staff hopes improved communication will make the stay in the waiting room more bearable. A staff member acts as a liaison to patients in
the waiting room, bringing frequent updates on how cases are progressing and providing an estimate of how much longer individuals must wait.

The ED has also opened the treatment area so that a family member or friend can accompany a patient, which eases anxiety for everyone involved.

Beebe Medical Center’s Department of Emergency Services at 424 Savannah Road, in Lewes, is open year-round 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for the treatment of emergencies and illnesses. Our caring, competent physicians, nurses, and support staff are ready to care for you and your family members. Located on Route 26, the Millville Emergency Center is open during the summer, 24 hours a day, as a full-service emergency services center. We’re linked to the full resources of Beebe Medical Center, in Lewes. Should a hospital admission be necessary, you’re already registered. Our team of certified emergency nurses and physicians is available to help you during the summer season with everything from minor injuries to cardiac arrest. For more information, call 302-539-8450.