Hartford Hospital’s Emergency Department is the primary teaching site of the University of Connecticut’s Integrated Residency in Emergency Medicine.  The 61-bed Level I Trauma Center is the busiest in the state having an annual censes of approximately 80,000 adult patients per year and in addition sees pediatric trauma patients meeting trauma center criteria.  The department underwent a state of the art renovation in 2001 and consists of “pods” staffed by assigned attendings, residents, nursing and clerical staff.  All patient rooms are private (no curtains).  Each pod is equipped with generous computer space as well as PACS system for viewing radiographic studies. 

The Blue and Green Pod make up the “main” ED consisting of 35 acute care beds.  The 8-bed Gold Pod is our Fast-Track area and the 12-bed Purple Pod is a separate psychiatric, drug and alcohol ED.  In addition, the department has a 6 bed Red Pod that acts as our critical assessment area where all activated and non-activated trauma and medical resuscitations are initially treated.  The department also houses a generous radiography space including a dedicated ultra fast CT scan that is staffed 24 hours per day by dedicated technologists.  There are two private family rooms and a “body viewing room” that allows families to spend time with their loved one after a death.  The ED has dedicated Respiratory Therapists and Security personnel.  The ED serves as the gateway to our accredited Chest Pain Center and Stroke Center; both of these were formed with EM input at the executive/administrative level and are highly integrated.