Emergency Care
If you are experiencing a life-threatening medical situation (including mental health emergencies), call 911.
Emergency care services treat life-threatening medical issues such as threats to your life, limbs, sight, or safety.
The Emergency Department (ED) at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth offers comprehensive care to all Active Duty and Tricare Beneficiaries in the Hampton Roads region 24 hours per day. As the highest volume Navy ED in the country, NMCP is well equipped to handle a wide variety of medical conditions, from minor ailments and injuries to serious illness and life threatening accidents.
We value your time, therefore when arriving at the NMCP ED, patients will be immediately greeted by a highly trained triage nurse and after a quick medical assessment registered into the system. Patients deemed to be at serious risk for life threatening ailments will be immediately brought back into a bed. For others, we strive our best to minimize wait times. Please note that as an Emergency Department we operate on a "triage" system, which means that patients are seen in order of the potential seriousness of their condition, not necessarily the order of arrival. These criteria are based on nationally recognized standards and are designed to ensure that patients most at risk for serious illness are seen and treated first. Regardless, we have processes in place to ensure that all patients are seen and treated in a timely manner.
The ED consists of four distinct sections: the Main ED, where patients with more serious ailments are seen and treated, Fast Track where patients identified as having more minor complaints are seen, as well as an overnight Observation Unit and a Trauma/Resuscitation Pod.
NMCP Portsmouth is fortunate to be fully accredited as an academic teaching facility, training both military and civilian providers of the future. As such, the NMCP ED teaches medical students training to become doctors, interns and residents (who are already doctors) training to learn specific specialties, as well as nurses and corpsmen that will be providing battlefield care to our sailors, soldiers, and Marines. As such, you may meet several providers during your visit. Be assured that at all times a board-eligible or board-certified Emergency Medicine Trained Physician is overseeing your care. All Emergency Medicine residents and attending physicians are selected to work at Portsmouth based on their commitment to staying abreast of and providing the most current evidence-based medicine. In addition, the ED employs several highly trained Physician Assistants (with Emergency Medicine Physician oversight) to help treat patients with more minor complaints.
Urgent & Emergency Care FAQs
What should I do if I have a non-life-threatening health issue?
Call or visit your nearest Urgent Care facility if you have a non-life-threatening health issue. If you have a life-threatening health issue, call 911 immediately.
What should I do if I have a life-threatening health issue?
Call 911 immediately to get emergency care if you have a life-threatening health issue.
What should I do if I’m still unsure if I need urgent care?
Call the Military Health System Nurse Advice Line to speak to a registered nurse about your health concern.
Does NMCP provide emergency care services?
Yes.
Does NMCP provide urgent care services?
no.
Patients visiting the Emergency Department can expect the highest quality of care in a timely manner. For more information call 757-953-1365.
We apologize for the inconvenience, however our physicians and staff are unable to provide medical advice over the phone. Please contact your medical home provider for healthcare questions.