Emergency Medicine

As a Level I trauma center, VCU Medical Center offers 24-hour, on-site surgical staff, dedicated operating room space and round-the-clock access to laboratory services and subspecialties including burn, cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, anesthesiology and radiology. Additionally, VCU Medical Center serves as a referral site for the state and a coordinating facility for the Richmond metropolitan area during disasters. We provide care across the continuum from arrival into the Emergency Department to rehabilitation, home health and follow-up services.

We are responsible for emergency care of more than 80,000 patients annually. State-of-the-art care is available for cardiac, trauma, pediatric, obstetric and gynecologic emergencies. From orthopaedic surgeons to neurologists, poison control to cardiologists, our specialists are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to providing exceptional emergency care for all types of medical conditions. Treatment for patients with severe burns is managed through the Evans-Haynes Burn Center.

The Pediatric Emergency Room is located in the Critical Care Hospital at 1213 E. Clay St.

In an emergency, critically ill and injured children have access to all pediatric specialists 24 hours a day at Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU's pediatric emergency department. The 10,000 sq. ft. emergency room has several unique features:

• Its own entrance and waiting room
• Dedicated pediatric radiology suite
• 12 large exam rooms with recliners for families
• Literacy center with books for children to take home

All patient transfer requests to the Emergency Department are coordinated by the medical center's Patient Transfer Center, which are directed to the Emergency Medicine attending physician in charge.

The Department of Emergency Medicine is home to the Virginia Poison Center. As one of three centers in the state, the Virginia Poison Center was established to provide emergency telephone information on poisoning for central and eastern Virginia. Board certified toxicologists are available for consultation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you think someone may have been exposed to a poison, or has taken too much medicine, please call 800-222-1222 or (804) 828-9123.

As a nationally certified regional poison center, the Virginia Poison Center’s mission is to prevent unintentional poisonings through public education programs, to provide optimal cost-effective care to patients with toxic exposures, and to facilitate clinical toxicology education for physicians and other health care providers.

Our emergency phone lines are staffed by specially trained registered nurses (Specialists in Poison Information), who are knowledgeable about toxic substances and treatment for victims exposed to potential poisons. This expert assistance is available 24 hours daily, is free of charge to all callers, and all patient information is confidential. Return phone calls are made by the center's nurses in many cases to follow up on the patient's condition, assess the outcome of any treatments and monitor for development of delayed toxic effects.

Business Office:
Box 980522
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0522
Phone: (804) 828-4780

Our forensic nurses are registered nurses with specialized training to provide medical care to persons who have experience intentional and unintentional violence. When you or someone you love needs help, we’re ready with round-the-clock care that’s both personalized to you and holistically focused. Learn more about Forensic Nursing at VCU Health.

General department information

(804) 828-5250
Fax: (804) 828-4686

To reach adult or pediatric emergency areas, call:

(804) 828-9000

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