Sandhills Regional Medical Center launched its “ER Extra” program on Monday, which is a revolutionary emergency room experience emphasizing extra fast, extra easy and extra great patient care and customer service.

The goal of 'ER Extra' is to give patients the care they need in a prompt and courteous manner.

Sandhills Regional Medical Center is very focused on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of its emergency room operations. The implementation of “ER Extra” is designed to streamline the process while simultaneously keeping patients and their families informed about what to expect.

“A smooth visit from start to finish is our goal at Sandhills Regional Medical Center, and “ER Extra” is giving our staff, nurses and physicians the necessary tools to make this a reality for each and every patient we meet,” said Michael J. Davis, SHRMC chief executive officer.

Sandhills Regional has implemented the ProMed tracking tool in an effort to track patient times. All emergency room personnel are committed to monitoring activity in the emergency department and updating those in the reception area as to when they can expect to be seen.

Copies of the “ER Extra Emergency Room Experience Guide” are also available for patients in the ER. This guide explains the emergency room process, one step at a time, and includes a step-by-step description of what will happen during the initial triage and assessment phase of the ER visit, all the way through the discharge process.

“We’ve always prided ourselves on excellent patient care and customer service, but as new techniques are designed and implemented, we predict we will be able to exceed our visitors’ expectations through “ER Extra,” Davis said. “We are dedicated to redefining customer service in the ER.”

Sandhills Regional Medical Center is owned by Health Management Associates of Naples, Fla. Formerly Hamlet Hospital, Sandhills Regional Medical Center has provided Richmond County with uninterrupted health care since 1915.