Emergency Department

Name: Kootenai Health
Price range: $

Emergencies don’t give you a heads-up. We don’t need one.

Emergency Department

Get Directions | When to Seek Emergency Care | Transfer Center

24/7 emergency expertise for North Idaho and the Inland Northwest.

Emergencies don’t follow a plan. A broken bone, sudden chest pain or signs of a stroke can change what you need in a matter of minutes. That’s why where you go—and what’s available when you get there—matters.

At Kootenai Health, our Emergency Department is ready for patients of all ages, from minor injuries to the most serious, time-sensitive emergencies. We’re a regional referral center for communities stretching from north of Boise to Canada and from western Montana to the Washington border. When an emergency requires more, our team works directly with Kootenai Health’s trauma, stroke, cardiac, critical care and other specialists—bringing the right expertise together quickly, without losing critical time.

24/7

Expertise ready when you need it

Board-certified emergency medicine physicians and advanced practice providers are here around the clock for patients of all ages.

Experienced Emergency Team

Specialized expertise at the bedside

Trauma, forensic and critical care nursing experience brings added depth to the team caring for you in the Emergency Department.

A Different Approach to ER Care

The right path for what you need

Our direct-bed, needs-based model reduces bottlenecks and helps move patients toward the right level of care sooner.

“Kootenai Health is the only emergency department in North Idaho staffed exclusively by board-certified emergency medicine physicians, with access to the specialists and resources required of a high-level trauma center.”

— Christian Menard, MD

Specialized Emergency Nursing Expertise

Experienced nurses with advanced roles in trauma, forensic and critical care.

Our nursing team includes dedicated Trauma Nurse Leads and Trauma Nurse Clinicians, Forensic Nurse Examiners and nurses who work across emergency and critical care. That specialized experience is strengthened by high nursing retention, creating a team that knows our emergency protocols, physicians and specialty teams—and how to work together when time is critical.

CALL 911 OR GO TO EMERGENCY ROOM

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms:

Chest pain or pressure
Difficulty breathing
Stroke symptoms
Severe abdominal pain

Major trauma
Uncontrolled bleeding
Head injury with loss of consciousness
Severe allergic reaction

Know Where to Go

Get quick guidance on when to choose urgent care and when emergency care is the right choice.

Where to Seek Care

The Right Care Path for What You Need

Not every emergency needs the same kind of response. Our approach reflects that.

When you arrive at our Emergency Department, your care path is based on what you need. Rather than moving every patient through the same traditional triage process, we separate higher- and lower-acuity needs so each can move toward the appropriate care. For patients who need more immediate attention, our direct-bed model can move them directly into a treatment space, reducing an extra step between arrival and care.