Emergency Services
ER Check-In
The Lutheran Children's Hospital ER is a colorful, child-friendly emergency department - the only of its kind in northeastern Indiana - meeting the unique needs of children and families.
Dedicated solely to the care of children, the LCH’s pediatric ER offers:
- A family-centered lobby and separate play area
- Private, secure rooms
- Pediatric critical care specialists
- A pediatric trauma surgeon
- Specially trained nurses who care only for pediatric patients
- Child life specialists who prepare children for medical procedures and provide comfort
- Child-sized, advanced medical equipment
- "Image gently" protocols that ensure radiation doses are the smallest dose needed for an adequate X-ray or scan
If needed, families also have direct 24/7 access to the Lutheran Children's Hospital pediatric inpatient and intensive care units.
ER Wait Times
ER wait times are provided as an informational service to the public. They are approximate and are based on a rolling 60-minute average that is updated every 15 minutes. The times are the direct output from the ER clinical computers.
FAQs: ER Wait Time
What does the time mean?
The ER wait time is defined as the amount of time that passes from the time the patient checks in at the ER desk to the time he or she is initially seen by a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner. Wait times are always dependent on the severity of the illnesses and injuries of other patients also in the ER. Patients with life-threatening conditions are always treated first.
Does posting the wait times affect how patients are prioritized?
Although the goal is to see each patient quickly, patients with life-threatening conditions are always treated first.
How does the ER maintain quality care if speed is the priority?
Quality care always comes first. Our ER process focuses on getting patients into rooms and seen by a clinical professional as quickly as possible for diagnosis and treatment after appropriate triage.
Is posting the wait times really necessary for an emergency room?
In many emergency rooms across the country, wait times have been increasing. Lutheran Children's Hospital wants to ensure patients that it is dedicated to not only offering quality care but also providing that care as efficiently as possible.
All emergency department patients receive a medical screening exam regardless of their ability to pay.