Mission Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Department, is one of the most efficient in the Rio Grande Valley. Designed and staffed to enhance patient flow and quality of care, Mission Regional has taken many steps over the years including adding staff and shifts, innovative services such as Fast Track and continually focusing on maintaining and improving communication with patients and their families.

• The Fast Track program allows minor emergency patients to be seen faster by a doctor, thereby caring for more patients, alleviating the wait time at the emergency department.


• Mission Regional Medical Center has board-certified emergency specialists around the clock.


• E.D. doctors are specially trained in emergency care. An EM specialist must take a three-year residency after medical school and then pass an oral and written exam by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. They must also meet continuing education requirements.

When should I go to the Emergency Department? “The Prudent Layperson Standard" refers to a clear-thinking adult with an average knowledge of health and medicine. The standard for ER is defined as emergency care for medical, maternity, or psychiatric emergencies that leads a prudent layperson to believe that a serious medical condition exists, or that the absence of medical attention will result in a threat to the person's life, limb, or sight. In other words, the person believes his or her health or life is in danger, and emergency medical intervention is needed.

In contrast, urgent care is a medically necessary treatment for illness or injury that would not result in further disability or death if not treated immediately. An urgent care illness or injury requires professional attention and treatment within 24 hours to avoid further complications.

Call your primary care physician for advice. Most primary care physicians have on-call arrangements if it's after hours.