State-of-the-art care
In addition to making emergency care more convenient, Forsyth Medical Center brings you world-class technology and care, including a nationally recognized chest pain center and a nationally certified comprehensive stroke center. We also offer advanced emergency services to ensure rapid response and treatment in any situation.
Our facilities are equipped with patient monitoring systems, x-ray technology, on-site labs and surgical suites and staffed by board-certified emergency medicine physicians, nurses and technologists.
If you suspect that you or a loved one is having a heart attack or stroke, getting fast treatment is crucial. Call 911 immediately.
When to go to the ER
Don't hesitate to come to the emergency room (ER) if you experience any of the following:
- Injuries from an accident or fall
- Deep cuts or bleeding that won't stop
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of consciousness
- Pregnancy-related problems
- Severe abdominal pain
- Heart attack symptoms: chest pain, sweating, shortness of breath or unusual nausea
- Stroke symptoms: sudden numbness or weakness of face, arms and/or legs; trouble speaking, severe headache with no known cause
- High fever and vomiting that continues nonstop for several hours
- Seizures
- Signs of meningitis: severe headaches, neck/joint pain and stiffness, vomiting, high temperatures, cold extremities
When to go to the urgent care
Many types of non-life threatening injuries or illnesses can be treated appropriately and more affordably at an urgent care location. You can check wait times for Novant Health PrimeCare and PrimeCare Express facilities any time. Some locations offer online check-in to hold your place and shorten your wait.
Some of the medical issues we treat in our urgent care unit, include:
- Allergies
- Animal bites
- Asthma, mild to moderate
- Broken bones
- Colds and coughs
- Cuts, including cuts requiring stitches
- Earaches
- Fever or flu
- Infections
- Sore throats
- Sprains
- Upset stomach
- Urinary tract infections
Check current urgent care wait times »
Novant Health PrimeCare Express locations can be a fast, more affordable option when you want to be seen quickly for minor injuries and illnesses. We’re open seven days a week to see children and adults, usually with little wait. Just walk right in for treatment of conditions ranging from strep throat to sports injuries. They can also provide services like flu shots and pre-sports physicals.
Find the urgent care or express care location nearest you »
Chest pain center
If you experience chest pain and other warning signs of a heart attack, the chest pain evaluation unit at Forsyth Medical Center is ready to provide immediate cardiac care.
Forsyth Medical Center was the first Accredited Chest Pain Center in the United States to successfully demonstrate the ability to synchronize treatment time between emergency medical service (EMS), the emergency room and the cardiac departments within the hospital.
This means we have board-certified emergency physicians and cardiologists available 24/7 to streamline care from diagnosis to rapid treatment.
Heart attack treatment
When it comes to matters of the heart, you need access to state-of-the-art technologies and advanced treatments. Forsyth Medical Center has received Cycle IV chest pain accreditation, making it one of the first health systems in the state to receive this prestigious recognition.
Knowing and recognizing the warning signs of a heart attack and getting to the emergency department immediately will improve your chances of survival and recovery. Once
you arrive, our team of specially trained physicians, nurses and staff will quickly assess your symptoms and evaluate your condition.
If you are experiencing a heart attack, you may be taken directly to the cardiac catheterization lab for immediate treatment; or, if additional testing is required, you will be transferred to one of the hospital’s cardiovascular units for further observation.
Behavioral Health Outpatient Center
The Forsyth Medical Center emergency department works closely with Novant Health Behavioral Health Outpatient Center located at 175 Kimel Park Drive, Suite 100 in Winston-Salem. Call 336-718-3550 for more information.
The center has psychiatrists, registered nurses, counselors, therapists and clinical social workers who treat patients with psychiatric or substance abuse problems. Its
services include:
- Support for mental health and substance abuse needs
- Assistance 24/7, 365 days a year – walk-ins are welcomed
- Easily schedule appointments by calling 336-718-3550 or toll-free 1-800-718-3550
- Staffed by clinical therapy and nursing care specialists
- Safe, comfortable and confidential environment
- Partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programming
Critical care transport
Occasionally, a patient needs to be relocated to continue his or her treatment. If that’s the case, our critical care transport is available to provide 24/7 transportation
services between our facilities. It is staffed with a team of registered nurses and equipped with the same technology and resources as an actual hospital critical care unit.
Our facility is also equipped with a helistop on the upper deck of the North Tower parking deck. This helistop is used for authorized air medical helicopter services transporting critically-ill or injured patients to our hospital. It helps reduce travel times when every second counts.
Novant Health Sexual Assault Program
For anyone who has experienced sexual violence, we offer doctors and nurses specially trained in caring for sexual assault victims 24 hours a day. Working together with forensic nurses and a sexual response team (including law enforcement, rape crisis companions, hospital social workers and the district attorney’s office), we can provide you with the compassionate care you need during this difficult time.
Services offered by this program include:
- A medical screening in the emergency department
- A private setting in the hospital for evidence collection
- Forensic evidence gathered by certified sexual assault nurse examiners
- Support for both the victim and their family members, provided by trained advocates
- Follow-up counseling services, including crisis intervention, support groups and counseling for individuals, couples or families
- Criminal justice support and advocacy
- Follow-up healthcare referrals
To learn more about our emergency services, call 336-718-5000.