RESIDENT MEDICAL OFFICERS' UNIT

Emergency Medicine

Christchurch Hospital Emergency Department is a busy department, seeing in excess of 72,000 patients per year. The department deals with the full range of medical and surgical problems and is the tertiary referral centre for trauma in the region. The acuity level of patients seen in this Department is fairly high with an admission rate of over 48%. The Emergency department has a team of 10 Consultants, 14 Registrars and 15 second year or above House Officers. In addition, there are 1-2 first year house officers and 5 Medical Officers. There is a dedicated team of senior nursing staff who provide specialized nursing care, including the triage of all patients entering the system.

There is a regular continuing medical education programme for the medical staff, held for 3 hours every Tuesday morning including registrar teaching. The Department is accredited for advanced training in Emergency Medicine by the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) for two years. Current training rotations include ICU, anaesthesia, paediatrics, general medicine (often cardiology) and orthopaedics.

Patients may self-refer, be transferred by St John Ambulance or police, or by their general practitioner.

For further information please contact

Dr Angela Pitchford, Clinical Director, telephone (64 3) 364 0270, extension 80287
email: angela.pitchford@cdhb.govt.nz

or telephone the Departmental Secretary at (64 3) 364 0270, extension 89614