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Emergency Care

Each of our hospitals, Ventura and Ojai, has an Emergency Department staffed by a team of expert physicians. Our two facilities collaborate to provide a seamless continuum of care for patients. Those needing advanced care will be treated at or transferred to our Ventura campus. In addition, Community Memorial Urgent Care has several locations conveniently located throughout Ventura County.

Our Team

Our emergency teams are exceptionally experienced and have been working collaboratively for years.

  • Board-certified, fellowship trained emergency medicine physicians divide their time between our two campuses.
  • Emergency Department nurses are specially trained to assess, triage, and care for patients.
  • Emergency-trained physician’s assistants work in our Fast Track Care area, under the supervision of our emergency physicians. (Ventura campus only)
  • Board-certified specialists, such as interventional cardiologists, neurologists, anesthesiologists, or pediatric hospitalists, are on call 24/7 to provide specialty emergency care at our Ventura campus.

Ojai Emergency Department

Our Ojai campus is a designated critical access hospital that provides essential access to high-quality healthcare in a rural area. With 6 beds, a 24-hour lab, and imaging capabilities, our Emergency Department is able to promptly diagnose and treat most patients. Those needing more advanced care are stabilized and transferred for higher level of care.

Ventura Emergency Department

This newly opened department has 35 beds, most of which are in private treatment rooms. It is equipped to treat all emergencies, from small cuts needing stitches to heart attacks and strokes. As part of an acute care hospital, we have on-site access to diagnostic technology, critical care units, cardiopulmonary services, and operating rooms.

  • We have a designated Fast Track Care area to quickly assess and treat patients who arrive with minor illnesses and injuries to minimize wait time whenever possible.

  • Ultraviolet (UV) robot emitters fully sanitize high-risk areas after initial cleaning is complete. Working in tandem, these two robots are able to disinfect every corner of a room in just minutes. The robots emit powerful UV light that kills bacteria, mold, fungi, and viruses, including the coronavirus. This advanced disinfection system is used in other high-risk areas of our hospital as well.

  • If needed, patients can be rapidly transported directly to surgery, labor and delivery, or critical care using a dedicated critical care elevator.

  • Our CT, X-ray, and MRI technologies are top of the line. The Emergency Department has a dedicated CT, and our portable digital X-ray machine allows us to capture and review images right at the bedside. For patients needing more specialized scans, Imaging is conveniently located right next to the Emergency Department.

Substance Use Navigator

Thanks to a grant from the California Bridge Program, we have added a substance use navigator to our team. This program was created in response to the national opioid crisis, but is available to patients who present with all types of substance use disorder. Our navigator serves as a bridge between emergency care services and a variety of outpatient treatment resources for substance use disorder and is on-site Monday – Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. If a patient seeks care for substance use outside of these hours, they will be contacted by our navigator the next business day.

Recognized for Excellence in Stroke and Heart Care

Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura has been certified as a Primary Stroke Center by both DNV and the Ventura County Emergency Medical Services Agency. Certification signifies that the services we provide have the critical elements need to achieve long-term success in treating stroke patients, and in improving outcomes.

We have also been certified by the American Heart Association as a STEMI Receiving Center. STEMI stands for ST-elevation myocardial infarction, the medical term for heart attack. Heart attack patients that arrive at our Emergency Department are assessed and most are quickly transferred to the heart catheterization laboratory for further diagnosis and treatment. Our expert heart and vascular team is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

In addition, our stroke program has earned the American Stroke Association’s Gold Plus Achievement Award and the Target Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus Achievement Award for the high-quality of care provided.

Drive or Call 911?

When making the decision whether to drive or call 911, consider the following:

  • Your location: If you are in an area that is relatively remote and the situation is serious, start by calling 911 as you may need to be medically evacuated.
  • The seriousness of the situation: If someone is having a heart attack or stroke or there is severe bleeding, paramedics can begin life-sustaining care during transport.
  • YOU are the patient: Do not drive yourself to the hospital. You could lose consciousness and cause harm to yourself or others.