For Immediate Release
Date: August 28, 2024
Contact: John Rader
Phone: (760) 957-3340

BARSTOW, CALIF. (August 28, 2024)—Barstow Community Hospital recently implemented a technology solution that allows patients seeking non-life-threatening emergency department care to pre-register online and wait at home before they arrive at the hospital. The software flags specific keywords in the patients’ messages to determine whether they can wait at home or need immediate attention.

“The technology checks to see if the communicated complaint is life-threatening,” said Dr. Anthony Cardillo, Emergency Department Medical Director at Barstow Community Hospital. “Anything such as chest pains, stroke, massive bleeding, you should call 911 and come right away. But if the patient’s complaint is less acute, like a broken finger or a cut that needs stitches, they can find a more convenient time for them to come in.”

“Of course, patients would rather wait in the comfort of their own homes than in any waiting room,” said Chelsea Crossman, Emergency Department Director at Barstow Community Hospital. “We are excited to offer patients this improved experience, allowing individuals to schedule an arrival time online for non-acute issues,” added Crossman.

Patients will be notified of any changes in the emergency room wait time or if they should arrive earlier than anticipated. The service is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, patients can visit Barstow Community Hospital’s website at https://barstowhospital.com and click the “Schedule an ER Arrival” link in the header. From there, they can view the next available appointment and the current wait time in the emergency department.