FAQ

Topeka ER & Hospital is open every day of the year, 24 hours a day. We never close, not even for the holidays!

Topeka ER & Hospital is a full-service hospital with ER services. We can effectively diagnose and initiate treatment for all kinds of medical emergencies, from insect bites to heart attacks to industrial and car accidents.

It depends entirely on your condition, and we can provide an estimated cost of care before any sort of treatment if you come in for a complimentary basic medical screening.

No, there is no need to make an appointment for emergency medical care with Topeka ER & Hospital. We treat patients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Yes, Topeka ER & Hospital treats patients of all ages for all medical conditions.

Topeka ER & Hospital differs from an urgent care center in that most urgent care centers are designed to handle non-life-threatening medical complaints. An urgent care facility is much like a doctor’s office with extended hours. Urgent care clinics are often staffed by Physician Assistants or Nurse Practitioners who are unable to treat critical trauma patients. If a patient goes to an urgent care clinic with a life-threatening emergency, the patient will be redirected to EMS or 911.

In contrast, Topeka ER & Hospital is always open and staffed by highly-trained emergency room doctors and nurses. Our micro-hospital is also equipped like a large hospital and offers on-site imaging services like X-rays, MRI, CT scans, and ultrasound. We also offer in-house laboratory services and are equipped and staffed to treat a full range of emergencies, 24/7. TER's imaging and lab equipment is the most modern, state-of-the-art technology.

Topeka ER & Hospital provides prompt and thorough results for any test ordered.

We have virtually no wait time. In hospital-based ERs, the wait times are longer due to an increase in patient volume, as well as, taking care of critical patients that are brought in by ambulances. Topeka ER & Hospital does not accept patients from 911 ambulance services. With the lower patient volume, our ER physicians and registered nurses can see you promptly and efficiently so that you are back in the comfort of your home quicker.

Yes, and we are able to perform the majority of tests hospital ERs perform. These tests are processed on site, so we can get the results to you quickly. Typical turnaround time for obtaining lab results at Topeka ER & Hospital is around 15 minutes.

Yes, we have X-ray, MRI, Ultrasound, CT, and Doppler technology. When you require imaging services, in addition to being evaluated in real-time by the ER doctor, we also send the images electronically to an offsite radiologist so that it can be read immediately. An added benefit is that this technology provides printed radiology reports that are typically ready in about 20 minutes, which is faster than in hospital ERs. Topeka ER & Hospital also provides patients with CDs of their images, which are prepared by the time they leave our facility.

The following documentation is required for hospital outpatient services to be rendered. 1. Documentation that supports medical necessity of the outpatient service (e.g. physician's office visit note, or progress note, etc.) 2. A signed and dated physician's order for the outpatient service.

Topeka ER & Hospital honors the in-network benefits of commercial insurance plans for medical emergencies. At this time, we are unable to accept government-funded insurance plans such as Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP.

We accept cash, checks, and all major credit cards, including MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover.

You will be required to pay your emergency room copay at the end of your visit.

The Affordable Care Act requires private insurance carriers to pay for the care of their policyholders who seek emergency medical treatment at any ER, regardless of whether the emergency room is “in-network” or “out-of-network.”

Kansas state law requires patients to be reimbursed for ER visits by their insurance carriers. If your insurance company refuses to pay for your ER visit, you have the option of filing a grievance with the Kansas Department of Insurance. For more information about the Kansas Department of Insurance, click here.

Because Topeka ER & Hospital is accredited by the Center for Improvement in Healthcare Quality (CIHQ), you have the right to submit a complaint regarding the quality of care or safety issues to CIHQ. You are not required to notify Topeka ER & Hospital before filing the complaint.

How to contact CIHQ to file a complaint:

Online
cihq.org/complaint

USPS Mail
Center for Improvement in Healthcare Quality
P.O. Box 3620
McKinney, TX 75070
Attn: Chief Executive Officer

Phone
512-661-2813

Fax
805-934-8588